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The Escape of Prisoner 614 (2018)
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[grand orchestral music] [light orchestral music] - [rock crumbling] - [wind whooshing] [dramatic orchestral music] [low thudding] [dramatic orchestral music] - [wind whooshing] - [low synth music] [projector running] [light folk rock music] [banjo music] [dog barking] - [brush rustling] - [low thudding] [low thudding] [gun cocking] Sheriff's deputy! Throw down your weapon and surrender. [Jim] No! No? No's not an option. [Jim] You throw your gun down then. That's not how this works. [Jim] Well, looks like the only solution is to throw our guns down together. Fine. It's on my count. [Jim] Well, how's that fair? It was my idea. That's about as good a deal as you're gonna get. Now you can either take it or we can let our guns do the talking. Well? [Jim] Fine, deal. All right. [gun clicking] You ready? [Jim] Yeah. One, two, three. [both guns clicking repeatedly] What the hell was that? We had an agreement. [Jim] Well, I'm a criminal. Supposed to be nefarious. That's true. Still, I'm gonna mark it down as a victory for me. [Jim] On what grounds? Shooting you dead. Pretty sure that clearly constitutes a victory. How so? You didn't even hit me. Well, you know the rules. In the event of an unresolvable dispute... Tie goes to the deputy. Correct. Because criminals, well, they never win. At least not in the long-term. Why do I always have to be the criminal. We've been over this. Mask, it makes me claustrophobic. What if the criminal doesn't wear a mask? Now listen to yourself. You think a criminal's gonna commit a crime without a mask or some kind of tactical disguise? [sighing] All right. You're right, it's ridiculous. [Thurman] Uh-huh. [Jim] Ugh, I'm hungry. [bell dinging] Mind if I smoke? [man] No, ma'am, go right ahead. [Marla] So, what brings you to Shandaken? I was supposed to meet my bride up in Albany, but there were some complications. Well, at least you seem in good spirits. [bell on door ringing] Morning, deputies. Morning, Marla. We need a plan. Yeah. Well, how 'bout... There you go, boys. Thanks, Marla. How 'bout all of the arrest records were burned up in a tragic fire that also took the lives of three innocent people? Except we need the bodies. Oh yeah. Oh yeah, those are hard to come by. Uh. [snapping fingers] I got it. [Jim] Hmm? How 'bout this. We got so many arrests that the boxes of records became cumbersome around the office, so we had no choice but to ship the records to a storage facility just north of Albany. Shortly after they arrived, it was ravaged by fire. - I like that. - You like that? - Yeah. - All right, good. Then that's the plan. Still got an hour and a half till the sheriff gets here. Who knows, something might happen between now and then. Excuse me, sir. Anything we can help you with? No, sir. Oh, well, I was beaten and robbed by a pack of teenagers this morning. In Shandaken? No, Albany. - [sighing] - I'm just driving through. Well, that's outside our jurisdiction, but if you like we can aid you in filing a criminal complaint with the Albany sheriff's department. Uh, no, no. I wouldn't wanna go through all the trouble. What's the matter with the pie? Oh, sheriff's coming to town today to review quarterly arrest records. So, that's no reason to waste food. Yes, ma'am. Yep. Mmm. [Marla] All right? Yeah. Yeah, we unfortunately haven't made an arrest this quarter. Or the three quarters before that. Yeah, and in the six years prior to that, we only made one arrest. [clearing throat] And that son of a bitch got away. Oh yeah. Turns out it's not illegal to fish without a license if you don't catch anything. Marla, let me ask you something. You'd say you know us pretty good, right? We're practically family. You think we're good deputies? Well, the way I see it, if you're not arresting anyone, it means there's no crime, and if there's no crime, it means that you two are pretty darn good deputies. Uh-huh. And that is exactly what we'll tell the sheriff. Thanks, Marla. What's the damage? Two cents for my two cents. The rest, as usual, on the house. Are you kidding about that two cents, Marla? I don't carry change. It doesn't feel good in my pockets. [Marla] Oh, forget it. [gun clicking] [gun clicking] [Jim] Get out of there. [door slamming] Sheriff. [coughing] Morning, sir. Can I offer you a pastry, sir? Awful tasty. [throat clearing] Yes, sir. Good choice. [Thurman] Yes, sir. How was your trip, sir? Alone. [Thurman] That's good, I guess. [spitting] I got a deposition 30 minutes right outside Kingston, so let's skip the pleasantries and get right down to brass tacks. Yes, sir. Well? Well, I got some good news for you, sheriff. No arrests to review this quarter. What we figure is if there's no arrests, one could extrapolate that there's no crime. And if there's no crime, then all in all, I'd say we're doing a pretty bang up job. Sir. Well, I mean if there's no crime, well then, why would I need a deputy in Shandaken, much less two of them. Well, God forbid there is a crime, sir, - we would protect the citizenry. - Uh-huh. So, we're kind of worried about hypothetical crime. - [Thurman] Yes, sir. - Mmm. As well as the threat of actual crime, which is always omnipresent. What, what, what Deputy Hayford means to say is um, we, uh, we just, um, don't have the reports. We don't have the reports for the crimes, which there were a lot of crimes. That's correct. That's right. You know, I was playing coy earlier. I didn't wanna toot my own horn, but truth be told, we've made so many arrests, you know, that the boxes of records were piling up and becoming cumbersome around the office. I mean, there must've been, I lost count, so we went ahead and shipped those up north, - just north of Albany. - Yeah. - Was it? - Yeah. - That's where it was. - Yeah. And, here's the kicker, sir. When they got there, the whole thing was ravaged by fire. Everything gone, all of it, just burnt up. Typical, late firemen. Well, don't throw them under the bus. Mmm. Well, now, now let me be clear here. See, your duty is to serve and protect the good people of Shandaken, right? And the way we show that we are serving and protecting the good people of Shandaken, is arrests and convictions. Now, now, my budget is controlled by a bunch of son of a bitch politicians up in Albany and you know what they really like? - Money. - [Jim] Prostitutes. Results. And when they don't see results, well, they, they reduce my budget and I just don't like having my budget reduced. Mm-mm. Now, wearing that badge is a privilege and goddamn it, your arrest records reflect poorly on every man who's had the honor of pinning that to his uniform. So effective immediately, your employment at the Shandaken sheriff's department is terminated. I'm gonna need your badges and your firearms. [leather squeaking] [Thurman] Easy. There you go. Someone from human resources up in Albany will contact you about your pensions presently. - [gun dropping in drawer] - [drawer slamming] You got till the end of the day to clear out your personal effects. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm due in Kingston. [door slamming] What are you doing? Packing up. You just wanna quit? We didn't quit, Thurman, we got fired. Let me ask you something, Jim. If we're not deputies, then what the hell are we? We're nothing. Wrong, we're worse than nothing. We're civilians. [phone ringing] Shandaken sheriff's department. [Arthur] I need to speak to the sheriff, - post-haste. - Who's calling? This is Warden Arthur B. Cox, Adirondack County Correctional. Well, I'm sorry, Warden. Sheriff's got a deposition in Kingston. If you wait a couple hours, you're likely to reach him at the courthouse. No, no, no. Can't wait. Is there a deputy on duty? Yes, sir, two deputies on duty. [Arthur] Well then, deputy, hold on to your johnson. We're not deputies. - Shh. - This morning at O600, head check came up one short, prisoner 614. Fine then. COs discovered a tunnel, hidden behind the toilet in his cell, spanned 400 feet. Son of a bitch must've held it for months. Anyhow, we got word that a hunting party saw a fella in shackles, matching his description, up on Slide Mountain. Now, if I'm not mistaken, that sits square within the middle of your jurisdiction. Yes, sir, it does. Good, any questions? Uh, yes, sir. What do you want us to do? Well, for starters, catch the son of a bitch. - He murdered a deputy in cold blood, back in '58. - Jesus. Left a widow and three daughters. So, if anything happens, nobody's gonna lose sleep over a dead cop-killer. Godspeed, deputy. I'm counting on you. Yes, sir, and I just wanna let you know, on behalf of the... - [dial tone humming] - Hello? Is he gone? He's gone. [phone hanging up] [sighing] I know what we're gonna do. Nothing. We ain't doing nothing. You heard the sheriff as same as I did. We're gonna hike out to Slide Mountain, capture the prisoner, return him to justice. We'll be heroes. Sheriff will have no choice, but to give us our jobs back. Thurman, we swore an oath to uphold the law. It seems awful wrong to break it. Tell me, Jim, what law are we breaking? Impersonating an officer. We're not impersonating anyone. Badge or no badge, we're deputies. And you're right, we did swear an oath to the good people of Shandaken. And I'll be damned if I leave them in their time of need. There's a cold-blooded killer out there, Jim. And goddamn it, we're gonna find him. Get your hat. [door opening] [rock smashing schackles] We head out in the wilderness, we capture the prisoner, return him to justice, at which point, we will inevitably be hailed as heroes and the sheriff will have no choice but to give us our jobs back. - That's a dynamite plan. - [slamming table] - See? - And no one's disputing that. What makes you think that we can find him, much less apprehend him? The Slide Mountain wilderness is 45,000 acres of rugged beauty. He could be anywhere. Oh, I don't know. Maybe the fact that we're highly-trained sheriff's deputies. We've been training for this our entire lives. This whole, a culmination of all of our experience. - We don't even have our guns. - It's just an apex of things that we've learned. We don't have our guns. What are we gonna do? This man killed a deputy in cold blood. What makes you figure he's just gonna give up to us willingly, huh? Still have the keys to the outpost. Take munitions from there. Your solution is to burgle? No, my solution's not... no one's gonna burgle. Obviously return 'em once this whole thing's over with. - You see, legally, that's borrowing. - [Thurman] Thank you. How do you borrow bullets that you took and shot? That doesn't make sense. - You can't... - Sure, you can. What are you gonna, it's a used bullet. Little IOUs, little IOUs. We'll tally 'em out. So then, it's not a borrowing situation. No, it's an IOU situation. And you know what, that's honorable. People honor IOUs. Our word is our bond and I'm done arguing about this with you. Look at me. Are you in or are you out? Thurman, wait. No, remind me one more time. If we're not deputies, then what the hell are we? Oh, I hate to interject, but that'll be $2.85 for the meatloaf and the shakes. I beg your pardon? $2 and 85 cents for the meatloafs and the shakes, plus a gratuity if you'd like. Uh, Marla, it's always been on the house. Well, that was different. You used to be deputies. - I'm in. - Uh-huh. Marla, I'm gonna have to owe you. But we will pay. [bell on door ringing] [Thurman] All right, here's the plan, 0800, begin pursuit of prisoner. Yep. 1200, break for lunch, which is? - Sandwich platter. - All right. 1300 hours, continue pursuit of prisoner. Now here's the part where it gets a little bit fuzzy, but I estimate that some time between 1400 and 1600 hours, we'll apprehend the prisoner, set up camp for the night, and head on back in the morning. So, best guess, I'd say everything'll be back to normal by 1300 tomorrow, which for my money, can't come soon enough. Now, what do we got for rations? A lunch and dinner today, breakfast tomorrow, and assorted snacks and refreshments. All right, good. Anything beyond that, we'll just have to hunt and kill ourselves. Map. Map. Map. - Map. - [Thurman] Yep. The Slide Mountain wilderness comprises 47,500 acres and 16 peaks. Marked foot trails provide access to the remote interior, traversing rocky summits that are thick with balsam forest, home to a host of wildlife, including black bears, whitetail deer, porcupine, and snowshoe hare. The Burr-ohs Range, made up of Slide, Cornell, Wittenberg Mountains, is named for famed naturalist, John Burr-ohs. - [Thurman] Burroughs. - Burr-ohs. Burroughs. Burr-ohs. Its imposing beauty inspired him to write, quote, "Here the works of man dwindle," end quote. A plaque commemorating Burr-ohs, is permanently affixed to the summit rock on the Catskill's highest peak, Slide Mountain. We should visit that, if we have time. Which way then? Up. [Thurman] Up, up. [Jim] Up. Hey, how much you wanna bet I can shoot this can off that rock in one shot? That one? This can right here. Depends how far away you are. 15 paces? [throat clearing] I got a buck says you can't. - [gun dropping] - Oh, dropped your gun. Yep. 15 paces. [gun cocking] [gunshot] That's $1, my friend. - Double or nothing. - [gun cocking] [gunshot] Double or nothing again. [gun cocking] [gunshot] [laughing] - Again. - I like those odds. Well, if it's so easy, why don't you try it? Double or nothing. [gunshot] All right, how 'bout first one to hit it - wins five bucks. - All right. [gun cocking] [guns firing] [tree rustling] [prisoner] Shit. [guns firing] [guns clicking] [gunshot] [grunting] [gunshot] Hurry up. Hey, did you pack the reserves? Reserves? What reserves? The reserve ammo for sport and recreation. [Jim] I didn't bring any reserve ammo. You didn't bring any reserves. I packed a big bag of bullets. One bag of bullets? A big bag. Well, we're out, Jim. Quit joking, Thurman. There ain't no ties in gun-shootin'. I ain't joking. [Jim] I knew this was a bad idea from the get-go. All right, just calm down, let me think, all right? My ears are ringing. I can't hear myself... - [Jim] We gotta turn back. - I'll come up with another plan. We're not turning back. Deputies do not turn back. Well, we're not deputies anymore, are we? - [match striking] - We're out of ammo, we don't know where the prisoner is, and goddamn it, I'm getting hungry again. [sighing] Okay, I can't help but feel a little attacked right now. Well, sorry, but... - under the current... - [fingers snapping] You know, the way I see it, you got a gun pointed at you, you ain't worried about whether or not it's loaded. That's your plan? - [gun cocking] - Ah! It's a bee. I'm allergic. - [gun cocking] - Ah! There's a lot of bees. Stop doing that, anyway. We'll start losing light soon. We should make camp here. I think if we just have a nice good meal by the fire, we'll sit and think about what to do for the next couple days. Oh, beg your pardon? Well, it's gonna take at least a couple more days out here at the rate we're going. We only got enough rations till tomorrow. Well, then we'll hunt our own food. With what bullets? Well, we got knives, don't we? You gonna pounce on a squirrel and stab it to death? [scoffing] Jesus. Huh? No, that's grim, it's a grim thought. I just think if we stick to the plan, everything'll be okay. [distant murmuring] Well, the plan ain't working. [distant murmuring] [Thurman] Did you see what I did? What? What'd I miss? - What'd I miss? - Shhh. [men chattering] Excuse me, sheriff's deputy, we'd like a word with you, folks. - [both] Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. - [guns cocking] Put those guns down right now. Drop 'em. Put 'em down. Put 'em down. Drop 'em. Easy, easy. We're just out here hunting, that's all. [gun clicking] Lower it, put it down. Alexi and his brother here, I hired them to help me bag a black bear. It's gonna look real good in my foyer. You say you're sheriff's deputies. I see no badges. How do we know we're not being bamboozled? This one has big beautiful blue eyes, like porcelain doll. [laughing] How long you been sheriff deputy? Two days? Since the day I was born. [laughing] That is something sheriff deputy would say. Okay, okay. Listen, we're tracking a prisoner. He murdered a deputy in cold blood and he's on the loose somewhere in these mountains. Now, I apologize, but I'm afraid we're gonna have to commandeer your munitions. Munitions? All we gots shells, man. You ever try to take down a black bear with a pistol? All you're gonna do is piss that son of a bitch off, I guarantee it. Well, then we'll take a couple of those rifles - off your hands too. - [growling] - No, no, no, no. - I'll make a deal with you. If I give you these rifles, you boys'll skedaddle? That's right. All right, give it to him. That's all right. [mumbling] [Thurman] We're gonna need the ammo too, - all of it. - All of it? That's right. There's a cold-blooded killer on the loose and we gotta catch him. All right. Time for you boys to get! Wow. Being awful rude. I ain't being rude. You the one that interrupted us. We out here minding our own damn business. Why you so anxious for us to go? You are repelling animals. - [Thurman] What? - Huh? You are repelling animals. I'm still not getting it, but I think that you guys are hiding something. [Jim] He's hiding something in his cheeks. - I ain't hiding shit. - No. [Thurman] Well, why don't you step aside? - No. - [Thurman] Step aside, that's an order. [Hunter] God damn it. All right. They's trapping. Can't do that. It's illegal. Where we're from, perfectly legal. - Legal. - Well, in this country, it's illegal. - Yeah. - And you gotta stop doing that or I'll arrest you. What about your goddamn prisoner? Goddamn it, that's out business. Now, look, I'll... I'll let you off with a warning if you promise just to stop setting these traps. Okay, okay, we'll stop. - No promises. - Good. And if you see and suspicious acts, just make sure you alert the proper authorities, like us, okay? What about that? - That about that? - Zat about zat? [Russian Hunter] That. - That, about that. - Zat. [Russian Hunter] That. - That. - Where's he pointing? - Hold that. - Yeah. He's still pointing over there. You see anything? Yep. Take a look. [Jim] Oh, there's a fire over there. [Thurman] You got it. [Jim] We should go there. - Come on. - Let's go. Thank you. - [light piano music] - Sorry about the wait, sheriff. It's my first day and I'm still trying to get a handle on things. Folks have been really nice, patient too. Can you remind me what you want on your potato. The works. The works. Sour cream, bacon, scallions, cheddar cheese, the works. Sour cream, bacon, scallions, cheddar cheese. All right, is there anything else I can do for you? [blowing smoke] Bless us, oh lord, for these thy gifts we're about to receive from your bounty. Through Christ, our lord, amen. [phone ringing] [footsteps approaching] [waitress] Phone call for you, sir. [footsteps departing] [fork dropping] What is it? [Arthur] Sheriff, Warden Cox. State your business, Warden. [Arthur] Given the gravity of our situation, I expected an update on the status of our prisoner, professional courtesy aside. This one hell of a blemish on the otherwise alabaster complexion of my penitentiary! Now, I spoke to your deputies down in Shandaken yesterday. I don't know what your boys do down there. I guess I just assumed that they would inform you of the goings-on. Warden, with all due respect, this is the first I'm hearing about prisoner... [Arthur] 614! Prisoner 614. [laughing] Oh, all right. Sure, sheriff. Me neither. Just make sure they get rid of the body. I got enough bad press up here as it is. I don't need that shit storm rolling through here. Now you listen to me, Warden. Now, I swear to God, you better tell me what the hell's going on or I will... Oh, don't worry 'bout me, sheriff. I'm a vault. We never even had this conversation. [laughing] [phone hanging up] [rock smashing shackles] Are we sure it's him? It's him. [blowing] [grunting] Oooh. Freeze! Sheriff deputy. I know who you are. Caught ya. [laughing] Stand up nice and slow. Keep your hands where I can see 'em. Okay, hands up! Now, taking you in and that's just the way it's gotta be. Shit! Please don't, please don't shoot me. Please, I'm so sorry. I didn't, I'm so sorry. I'm not even a police officer. If you're into killing cops, I'm not even a police officer. [gun cocking] You better put that gun down or I will literally shoot you in the back of the head with this rifle. - [heavy breathing] - Get on your knees. That's right. Easy, easy. Jim, you wanna compose yourself and come over here? [Jim] Yeah. [Thurman] Prisoner 614, you are under arrest for escape. Anything you say at this... Wanna grab your gun? Yeah. - [Thurman] You all right? - You saved my life. Well, hell yeah. This sorry excuse for a man's already killed one deputy. Not about to let him do it again, much less my partner. I ain't killed nobody. Hey, prisoner. I'm gonna tell you this one time, I'm gonna tell it to you plain. We ask the questions around here and I don't recall asking you "are you a killer," because the answer's obviously yes, - yes, you are. - No, I'm not, deputy. [Jim] Be a good sport, prisoner. You lost fair and square. Nobody likes a sore loser. You got your cuffs? Let me make something abundantly clear to you, prisoner. Your now in the custody of not one, but two sheriff's deputies from the Shandaken sheriff's department. It's our job to escort you back to prison. That's exactly what we're gonna do. If you look like you're even thinking about escapin' again, we shoot. I've been training for this exact moment my entire life, you understand? I owe you an apology, Thurman. No need. No, it's like you said. Badge or no badge, we're deputies. We stick together. You want some food, prisoner? - Yeah. - Yeah? Yes, what? Yes, please. [sucking teeth] We do not reward bad manners in this outfit. We got a big day tomorrow. It's time to turn in. If you try any funny business when we're sleeping, you're liable to wake up dead. Keep it moving, prisoner. Go on, you heard him. Come on. Don't be obstinate. Hey, there's no point in delaying the inevitable. Now, let's go. Carry you up if I have to. [grunting] Shit. Jim, are you pushing? - I am. - [Thurman] God. What the hell's your problem? I ain't going back. Well, that's where you're wrong, prisoner. Yeah, you're a prisoner. Prisoner's belong in prison. No bellyaching is gonna change that. Now you can either walk or you can get shot. Your choice. You gonna shoot me? - Then shoot me then. - [Jim] Eh. Why you gotta make everything so dramatic. It's just prison. It's not like we're talking about going to... - Massachusetts. - [Thurman] Massachusetts. Oof. You ever been locked up 23 hours a day? Somebody tellin' you what to do, when to do it? Treated like an animal in a cage? You know what that feels like? Me personally? No, I'm not a criminal. Yeah, we're not criminals. So, we don't know. You don't know what the hell you talkin' 'bout then. - Hey. - Hey. I've seen more than my fair share of prison movies. So, I may not have been to prison myself, but I have been transported there through the magic of motion pictures. I saw Cool Hand Luke a couple of months back. Prison didn't seem that bad. A lot of eggs, surprising amount of eggs. Heaven if you like eggs. The dumbest thing I ever heard in my life. You could shoot me, but I ain't going back. Now, you are going back. If you don't like it, well, should've thought of that before you killed a sheriff's deputy. I ain't a killer. Look, I'm trying to tell you. Oh, you were put in prison for no good reason? Last time I heard, we don't do that in America. - Man, I ain't never killed... - All right, that's enough. Now, we're bringing you in, dead or alive. So, I'm gonna ask you this one more time, you wanna walk or you wanna get shot? I ain't a killer. If I was, your partner would be dead. Well, maybe you're a killer and a coward. I don't know. I don't know what you're in for. In '58 I went to a protest, Albany. Deputy came in, arresting people. Fat ass deputy had a heart attack trying to chase me. I ain't kill him though. Prisoner, let me tell you something. Even if we did believe you, which to be clear, - we do not. - We do not. Wouldn't make a lick of difference. Our job is to bring you in and that's exactly what we're gonna do. I don't wanna kill you, but I will. Then do it. [gun cocking] [gunshot] He said if he was a killer, your partner would be dead. And? I'm your partner. - So? - I'm not dead. Does that preclude him from being a killer? It's a logical fallacy. It's typical criminal behavior. Given to lies, deception... - So, he is a killer? - [gun cocking] You take another step, it's gonna be your last. What in the goddamn hell you boys think you're doing? Getting results, sir. You do recall, don't you, that as of two days ago, your employment with the Shandaken sheriff's department, was terminated with cause? [Thurman] Yes, sir, we just, we thought... You thought? You thought, you thought what? You wanna get your dumb asses locked up from two to four? We wanted to show you we were good deputies, sir. So, we thought maybe if we caught the prisoner, well, you'd see that and consider giving us our jobs back. He killed one of our own, sir. No, I didn't. What'd you say? Prisoner 614? Now, you answer me when I speak to you, boy. Yes, sir. There's a special place in hell for your kind and if I had my way, I'd send you there right now. Do you understand me, boy? - Yes, sir. - You killed a deputy. I can't change that. What I can do is make sure that you pay the consequences for your actions for the rest of your natural born life and I promise as long as I'm standing here, I'm gonna live up to that. I ain't killed nobody. [grunting] Say it again. [prisoner] I ain't kill nobody. Say it again! [prisoner] I ain't kill nobody, sir. [gun cocking] Maybe we got a bit off track, sir. Uh, um... maybe. Like I told you, you broke the law. [sighing] You also showed some gumption. - [gun clicking] -We just did what we thought was right, sir. He killed one of our own, sir. We're not gonna let him get away with that. Well, I don't know. It's possible I was wrong about you two. I'll tell you what. From this moment forward, I'm gonna deputize you two as officers of the law. You get that son of a bitch back to Shandaken office, you get him ready for transport, you got your jobs back. [Thurman] Yes, sir, we will not disappoint you. Oh, you sure won't disappoint, 'cause if you do, you're gonna end up with your little pal here up north. You understand? - Yes, sir. - Yes, sir. Should we get a move on then? Not we, you. Four hours with this son of a bitch, I'd send him to an early grave and he'd be getting off easy at that. Now, look, I want you to rely on your training. I want you vigilant. This son of a bitch killed a deputy in cold blood and don't think he won't try it again. Don't forget that. - Yes, sir. - We won't. [hocking and spitting] - [exhaling deeply] Oh, yes. - [laughing] Yes, yes, yes. That could not have gone any better. For some of us, it did. How did you know this was all gonna work out? [Thurman] Well, I'll tell you, Jim. No other reason than the simple fact that it had to work out. We're deputies. You can't just take that away from us. [Jim] What if it didn't? [Thurman] Never even considered that possibility. You? - [Jim] I like animals. - [Thurman] Okay. [Jim] So, I figured I'd probably end up in the fur business, be a trapper. When's the last time you saw a marker? Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. I don't know. I've been following you. I've been following him. The... Why would you follow the prisoner? - He's in front. - Hey, prisoner. If you don't want people to treat you like a criminal, - then maybe you should stop acting like one. - I've just been going down. Then how come we were just going up a few minutes back? - Yeah? - I don't know. I didn't make the mountain. You're making a mountain out of a molehill with your attitude about all this. Well, we can't be that far off the trail. Look at the map. What's it say? Here, hold that. Yeah, we just keep going down. - Going down? - [Jim] That's what it says. - You sure? - Yep. Yeah, that'll get us to the bottom. You heard the man, prisoner. Lead the way, but follow us. Going down felt right. [sighing] Hello. You from the paper? Guilty as charged. That some sort of dogshit joke, or you got something you wanna confess? No, sir. Just a bad joke. You sure? Nothing you wanna get off your chest? No, sir. [sighing] Fine, then have a seat, make yourself comfortable. Boys'll be back any minute. Oh, I'd prefer to stand if it's all the same. [lighter snapping open] Sir, I was told that the deputies would be available any time after two o'clock. [Sheriff] Mm-hmm. Well, it's nearly 4:30 now, sir. Mmm. They'll be back any minute. Maybe I could just come back tomorrow. [sighing] You know, about four or five years ago, there was this big case down in Kingston. Maybe you remember about it. Couple Italian boys come up from New York City, shot a man dead on the county courthouse steps, got him right between the eyes, broad daylight. Yes, sir. I seem to recall hearing about that. Mm-hmm. Anyway, there was this young photographer, some paper or another. I don't know. And he was working the courthouse that day and he hears the gunfight, he comes out, he starts taking pictures. Now the wops, they didn't take too kindly to that, you know? So, before they took off, they beat him within an inch of his life, used his own camera to do it. I'm sorry, sir. I don't quite follow what you're saying. So, I happened to be at the courthouse that day and, I mean, actually, I was the first one at the scene and Jesus, it was an awful mess. I mean, there was a man dead on the ground, another man pleading for his life. But all this happened toward the end of the day, you know? And I remember saying to myself, "Maybe I can come back tomorrow." But I couldn't do that, now could I? - No, sir. - No, sir. See, 'cause in my line of work, you come back tomorrow, that poor photographer, not unlike yourself, he's gonna bleed out and die right in front of a growing number of women and children. You see where I'm going with this, son? Yes, sir. Good. So, you just make yourself comfortable. And those boys'll be back any minute. Ah, nothing. [gun clicking] Why's huntin' so hard? - [exhaling deeply] - Where's all the meat? Should set up camp before nightfall. I want dinner first. - I'm hungry. - Well, truth be told, we can survive on water alone for weeks. Not me. I need solids. You can eat some of the plants up here. Yes, obviously we know that. What you got? Is this... Yeah, looks good. Uh-huh. What if he poisoned it? - [spitting] - Shit. Prisoner, if you poisoned us, you have to tell me. I'm emetophobic. That means I have a pathological fear of vomit. It's wild chicory. Trickery or not, did you poison us? I didn't, but I should have. That isn't very nice, prisoner. I hope you didn't mean that. All right, enough talk. We gotta set up camp before nightfall. Come on, time to move. Let's go. - Deputies. - Huh? Deputy. - [turkey gobbling] - Jim. You see him? All right, go ahead, Jim. Take the shot. Jim? I can't. I can't. Fine. [gun cocking] [turkey gobbling] He smiled at me. See? He's precocious. I didn't know they could do that. [Jim] Yeah. I can't do it. What? You shoot. No way. You killed before. You already have a thirst for blood. [prisoner] I can't do it. Oh, so you got no problem killing a sheriff's deputy, but all of a sudden you're too morally scrupulous - to kill a turkey? - I am not a killer. Oh, come on, prisoner. You know, you can keep saying that until you're red in the face. The point is you had your day in court and the jury decided otherwise. Yeah, seven white men and five white women. Took 'em a whole 10 minutes. You're saying that five women aren't fit to be jurors. That's sexist and we won't stand for it. Look, prisoner, if you got complaints about your trial, take it up with the courts. We got a lot riding on bringing you back in and that's exactly what we're gonna do. Now how pleasant of an experience that is, well, that's entirely up to you. Yeah, so you'll really give me a gun? I wanna eat turkey. Yep. [turkey gobbling] [gunshot] [Thurman] Deputy, go to sleep. I can't. You think it was painful when he died? Can't imagine a heart attack feels very good. Not the deputy. Talking about the turkey. You killed a sheriff's deputy. You're worried about a goddamn turkey? I didn't kill the deputy. Too many donuts killed the deputy. I killed the turkey. Mm-hmm, and I'm very thankful. Listen to me carefully, prisoner. Need you to shut your mouth and go to bed. [groaning] Deputy. - Deputy. - What? Gotta go outside. No, you don't. I'm about to be sick. [groaning] Uh-uh, no, you can't be sick. You can't be sick in the tent. Jim, you gotta take him out. I can't, I can't, I can't take him. I can't be around him. Get him out, get him out. It's your turn, Jim. I've been cuffed to him for the past two nights. I can't, I can't, uh, take his cuffs off and we'll just watch him from here. Take his cuffs off him? Are you out of your goddamn mind? We can watch him from here. You take him. [groaning] Uh. All right, all right, all right. Prisoner, if we uncuff you, you gonna try to escape? You promise? Remember, I don't chase, I shoot. - You hear me? - [grunting] Now, say you promise. I promise. Ah. Give me your hand. I can't believe I'm doing this stupid ass, goddamn it. Letting you go, 'cause you're feeling lousy. [cuffs clicking] [heavy breathing and coughing] [vomiting] Uh, I think I hear. [Thurman] Stay where we can see you. [grunting] Still there? Still here, deputy. What if he's telling the truth? The judge didn't seem to think so. That's all that matters. Still there? [prisoner] Still here. I don't know if he's a killer. Now, Jim, how many killers you know? None. Exactly. Mmm, I see him. Yep. You got lookout for a bit? We both on lookout. But I only ate dark meat. So? [snoring] [yawning] Still there? Still here. Deputy. [snoring] [trap snapping] [birds chirping] [cuffs rattling] - [Thurman] Shit! - Huh? What? Oh, prisoner. Oh, shit. Prisoner! Prisoner! [Jim] Come on out. Shit. Where is he? He escaped. Shit. Oh, shit. Shit, shit, we're going to prison. - No, we ain't. - We're going to prison. - Jim. - Thurman, you heard the sheriff. - All right, that's enough. - Sheriff said if we don't bring the... Just stop it, Jim. Goddamn it. [gun cocking] - [gunshot] - Ah. Oh, oh my god. That feels so good. Why does that help so much? [gun cocking] [guns firing] - Yeah. - [guns cocking] - [guns firing] - [screaming] - [bullets ricocheting] - Shit. Help! - [guns firing] - Don't shoot! Yeah. - [gun firing] - Yeah. - [prisoner yelling] Help! - Uh, I'm out. - Did you hear that? - [prisoner] Don't shoot. Prisoner, is that you? Uh, prisoner? Help! Well, well, well, looks like we caught ourselves a killer, - again. - Uh-huh. - [prisoner] I got lost. - Uh-huh. Listen, prisoner, I don't know how they do things down in prison, but where we come from, in the law-abiding community, a man's word means something. - Yeah, maybe you shouldn't have trusted a prisoner. - Huh? Well, maybe it's our fault. You shouldn't have trusted a prisoner. I shouldn't have trusted a prisoner. It was your idea to let him go. - No, I... - You said, "We think we can trust him," 'cause you didn't wanna go outside with him. - He was getting sick. - 'Cause you were starting to get scared of him getting sick. - No, I wasn't scared. - My exact words were, "Are you out of your goddamn mind". If he starts retching, then I'll start retching. Jim, it doesn't matter, Jim. The point is he's a criminal and a killer - and we gotta start treating him like one. - [prisoner] I'm not a killer. Listen, prisoner, if you're so sure you're innocent, why don't you appeal to the courts? That's not our business. I tried that. No lawyer would take my case. So what, you just give up? - Typical. - Typical. No, not really. I went to the prison law library to research my case so I can get some appeal, but judge denied it. Said I'm lucky I'm not hanging from a tree. I think he's just trying paint himself - as a sympathetic character. - Yeah. So, we feel comfortable, we let our guard down. But he can't be trusted. He's proven that much. - Yeah. - [throat clearing] [Thurman] What you got? [Jim] What is it? Read it. We'll read it in our own time. It's a newspaper article. [mumbling] What if he is innocent? Still don't change anything. Still gotta take him in. - Yeah. - [prisoner] No, you don't. Yeah, we do. Sit still, I'm gonna cut you down. Wait, wait, wait. Prisoner, from that vantage point, can you see any trail markers? Nope. Can you really not see any or are you just delaying the inevitable? I don't see any. Prisoner, I wanna propose a truce. You help us get back to the path, and you change your attitude, when we get back there, I promise we'll talk to the sheriff and, you know, we'll make him aware of, you know, your unique peculiarities of your case. Same sheriff I saw earlier? There's only one sheriff. No deal. Prisoner, that's as good a deal as you're gonna get. Please? Hold on. - [rope breaking] - [thud] [coughing] I really should be going, sheriff. [gun cocking] I got a family, sir. Please. If you wanna leave, prior to you completing your professional set of duties, I guess that's what you're gonna have to do. So am I free to go? Of course, of course. But you know, every choice does have it's consequences. You're just gonna have to ask yourself are you prepared to live with the ramifications of your actions. Smoke? - Hey, Darlene. - [light muffled talking over phone] Yeah, I'm gonna need a state-wide APB on deputies Hayford and Doyle and Adirondack County Correctional prisoner 614. [shackles jingling] [light muffled talking over phone] That's right, dead or alive. [coughing] Hey, Darlene. 10-22, cancel that. You're late. Yes, sir. We're awful sorry. We got lost. You see that man out there? That man's gonna make heroes of you boys. Actually, sir, we was hoping we could talk for a second. Well, it's gonna have to wait. Follow me. We're gonna get them ugly faces in every goddamn newspaper from here to Albany. Okay, Thurman, let's put you over here. Jim, why don't you stand there? And let's put the prisoner right there. This is a great service to the department and to the fine citizens of Shandaken. You relied on training, you showed great bravery and heart. And so, by the power vested in me by the great state of New York, you are hereby reinstated. Deputies. Thank you, sheriff. Thank you, sir. Okay. Okay, and smile. [camera bulb flashing] I think we're all finished here. Um, sir, am I free to go? You are free to go, citizen. Thank you very much for your service. You boys ever keep me waiting again, I'm gonna take them badges away for good. I'll be back at 0700. I'm gonna take this son of a bitch up north myself. Understood? - Yes, sir. - Yes, sir. [Sheriff] Good. Sir, we was hoping we could talk to you about something first. You see, we become aware of some peculiarities in the prisoner's case. Such as? Well, sir, such as, the way he tells it, he run from a deputy at a protest and the deputy died of a heart attack while he was in pursuit. That's it. They booked him on felony murder, sir. Life in prison without the possibility of parole. I mean, if prisoner 614 believes that he did not receive a fair trial, then he's got recourse within the legal system. It is not our per view. - [spitting] - Courts won't hear his appeal. It seems there's racial stuff going on, you know, with him being of negro persuasion. "8/14/58, 1:34 p.m. "Albany sheriff's deputies McCoy and Sullivan "responded to a request for backup from university PD. "Deputies arrived on scene at 1:42 p.m., "began placing trespassers under arrest. "A negro male, age 20, 25 years, "disregarded orders and fled on foot. "Deputy McCoy ordered the suspect to stop and gave choice. "Deputy McCoy collapsed while in pursuit of the suspect. "and was pronounced DOA at 2:04 p.m. at Pine Ridge Hospital. "Suspect was apprehended by deputy Sullivan, "booked, and transported to holding at 2:27 p.m." You see, sir, he was being honest. He ain't kill nobody. That criminal resisted arrest. And as a result of his crime, a sheriff's deputy is dead. Yes, sir, but that deputy, God rest his soul, he was a very obese man. Well, that his God-given, American right. That son of a bitch killed one of our own! Now, if you guys can't understand that, then sure as shit, you shouldn't be wearing them badges. I'm gonna say this one time. We got a problem? No, sir. Prisoner 614 will remain in our custody until 0700 tomorrow, at which point we'll surrender him over to you for transport. [Jim] Yes, sir. Good. [bell dinging] Two congratulatory London broil dinners on the house for the deputies and meatloaf for the new guy. - Full price. - Mmm, where are my manners? Marla, this is prisoner 614. Prisoner, Marla. Is that a nickname or something? 'Fraid not. I need to use the washroom. What the hell is wrong with you guys, bringing a dangerous criminal here? You're gonna scare off all the customers. Don't worry, Marla. He's innocent. You told me he was a cold-blooded killer. Only technically. He was running from a deputy at a protest and the deputy chased him and had a heart attack and the court sentenced him to life in prison. [Marla] For running? Resisting arrest. So, what are we gonna do? He's gotta be back up here at 0700 tomorrow. Until then we're... That's it? Well, like Dr. King said, "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." Where'd you hear that? Oh, I catered a Black Panther luncheon a few months ago in Woodstock. I read it in a pamphlet. Very nice people. Good tippers too. [slamming fork] She's right, Thurman. I know. [Marla] Is the sheriff doing transport? How'd you know that? Well, every other Tuesday, he comes by here on his way to the courthouse, like clockwork. He orders a black coffee with eight sugars. It's hard to forget an order like that. Eight sugars? Yeah, it's like he never heard of diabetes. Marla, let me try one of those. - What? - A black coffee with eight sugars. Are you out of your mind? Diabetes puts you at a risk for heart disease... Marla, I get it, but can I try one please? That's pretty good. Pass it down. Can't taste nothing, but sugar. Exactly. [birds chirping] It's time. [match striking] [car arriving] [car door slamming] [footsteps approaching] [door slamming] - Morning, sheriff. - I'd say it is. It's all over the papers. You boys are bonafide heroes. On your feet, boy. You know, there's a certain kind of irony in locking away a man for life. You hear me, boy? Yes, sir. I said, there's a kind of irony - in locking away a man for life. - Yes, sir. I mean, if a man thinks he's gonna get out, right, be it one year, 50 years, right, it gives him hope, it gives his life meaning and it gives the people in charge a hell of a lot of power. 'Cause it's, I mean, you break the rules, you're just gonna spend more time behind bars. It's as simple as that. But you lock away a man for life, such as is your case, well, that man, he might start to thinking he's got nothing left to lose, that the rules no longer apply to him. I mean, after all, you can't add time to a life sentence. You starting to see the irony? Yes, sir. Good. Fortunately, I've found, as long as he's breathing, every man's got something to lose. Some of them just might need reminding a little bit more forcefully than others. Keep that in mind, should you ever start thinking about escaping again. [hocking and spitting] Don't move. [car door opening and closing] [key rattling] - [bell jingles] - [light country guitar music] Good morning, sheriff. I'll be with you in just a minute. [bell dinging] Hurry it up, will ya? I got a prisoner in transport. What can I get for you? Coffee to go. Black coffee, eight sugars. Just black. No sugars? My goddamn wife's been pestering me about it, thinks I'm gonna get diabetes. From sugar? Oh, I don't think one thing has to do with the other. - Just pour the goddamn coffee. - All right. She'd take medical advice from a goddamn chimpanzee. [handcuffs clicking] Black coffee, no sugars. Eight sugars. I beg your pardon, sir. Put eight goddamn sugars in there and don't make me ask you again. It tastes like shit without it. Fine, but use your manners. Put eight goddamn sugars in there, please. It's on the house, I presume. Yes, sir. Give me one of them apple fritters too. [lock clicking] [car squeaking] [dog barking] [car starting] You better take it all in, prisoner. The next time you're gonna see the outside, they're gonna be throwing dirt on your casket. [laughing] [motorcycle approaching] Well, no turning back now. [stomach gurgling] [spitting] [stomach gurgling] [heavy breathing] Prisoner, I'm gonna confiscate your cigarettes. [key rattling] Show me your hands. [cuffs rattling] Get out. Get out! [gun cocking] I don't wanna soil the interior of my car, but I will. [handcuffs clicking] Move, move. [thunder rumbling] [rain falling] [motorcycle braking] Something ain't right. On your knees, boy. Time to make your peace. You don't have to do this. Boy, you're about to find out just how wrong you are. [gun cocking] This here's justice. [gunshot] Ain't no justice in executing an innocent man, sheriff. What the hell you doing? Just doing what's right, sir. You traitorous sons of bitches. You just made the biggest mistake of your goddamn lives. Well, sir, obviously, we see it differently. You're dead... and you're dead. You are dead! You... [groaning] Uh, is he retching? Thurman is he, is he sick? [heavy breathing] Sheriff? Sheriff? Sheriff? He's dead. Dead? That wasn't supposed to happen. We killed him. Not quite, deputy. Heart attack. - How do you know? - Yeah. Trust me, I know. [exhaling deeply] Well, prisoner, [clears throat] I guess the good news is one day you'll be able to look back on all this and laugh. [Jim] What are the odds, the same thing that got you into this whole mess is what gets you out of it. Mm-hmm. We gotta go. Sir. [coughing] Hey, prisoner. You can bet our relationship is no longer adversarial in nature. You got yourself a name? My friends call me Andre. Andre, good to meet you. Hey, Thurman, littering. Who cares? We're criminals now. Doesn't mean nature has to suffer. Right on, deputies. Yeah, just stick to the plan. The plan. Ow. [train whistle blowing] [man] Tickets. Tickets, please. Ticket, sir. [throat clearing] Ticket, sir. [counter clicking] Oh, beg your pardon. Sorry to disturb you, deputy. Tickets! [train whistle blowing] [wind blowing] [in French] [gun cocking] Because you're under arrest. Hey. Shit. [upbeat folk rock music] |
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