Rectify s01e01 Episode Script
Always There
Turn around.
Take your pants off for me.
Pull your underpants down for me.
Turn around.
Now, bend over.
All right-- get up.
Turn back around.
We're moving to the holding cell.
Uh, these are for you, Daniel.
I'm supposed to take your prison clothes.
Would you like somethin' to drink? What? When I come back, I could bring you somethin' to drink.
A Coke.
Ice? Sure.
I don't know why you wouldn't ride with us.
Something seemed karmically wrong about that, mother.
Well, we're late, karma or not.
So, have your ID ready and take off all your jewelry.
I've been there a lot more than you lately.
I know the drill.
Ted, Jr's calling in.
Ha, what? Does he wanna stop at We'll see you there, Amantha.
Hey.
Hey, mama.
Tell dad he better pick it up.
It's gonna suck if we're late for this thing.
Ted, Teddy says pick it up.
Um, Teddy? Yeah, mama? Could you call me Janet? What? Just for a while, just until Daniel gets used to all the changes and everything.
She wants us to call her Janet for a while.
I can't imagine what she's going through, right now.
Don't assume it's all good.
What do you mean? Sheriff still believes he was in on it.
A lot of people do.
Well, you don't think that, do you, that he could've done somethin' that horrible to her? Well, I sure did.
I mean, he was convicted.
What would a rational person think all these years? Now, hell, I don't know.
I never even met the guy.
I still don't understand.
Come on, Tawney.
What was I supposed to do? Go down to death row and introduce myself? "Hi, I'm Ted-- I'm, uh, your new stepbrother, and I'm gonna be takin' over the business you thought would be yours one day.
" I mean, why torture the guy? I hate to say it, but we all thought he'd be dead by now anyway.
Hey, Amantha.
Where are you? Closer by the day.
Uh, if you don't get here soon, I may have to recruit some people from the crowd to play the family.
At least pick people who are glad he's still alive.
I'll take a poll.
Have you seen him yet? No, not yet.
But, he got the suit? I was assured he did.
God, I hope I don't fall apart.
It's okay if you do.
Are you kidding me? What? What, Jon? Roland Foulkes just showed up.
How ya doin' today-- Joel.
Son of a bitch.
So nice to see you.
Hi, how are you? I'll have a comment after.
So nice to see you, again.
They say it's pretty crazy out there.
Where's your tie? Uh, I couldn't remember.
Remember? How to tie it.
It's, uh, a Windsor knot.
I think.
Hey, man, I could tie it for you.
I mean, I don't know if it's a Windsor, but it's the kind I do on me, for church.
Tie it on me.
Then, we transfer it to you.
Almost two decades ago, I prosecuted a case where Miss Hannah Abigail Dean was brutally raped and murdered.
DNA testing on material sitting in some box in an evidence room all these years is not gonna change that fact or bring that girl back.
We must remember that she was only 16 years old, a mere child, with her whole life ahead of her, and that life was taken in the most heinous manner I personally have ever seen.
Sources are reporting that Mr.
Holden is still considered a suspect, in spite of the DNA results.
Well, I'm sure our current DA will address some of these complex procedural questions this new breed of lawyer loves to go on about.
I'm just here to remind ya'll of a few things that seem to have gotten lost in this DNA hysteria.
Daniel Holden confessed to raping Hannah.
He confessed to killing Hannah.
Now, where I come from, we put a lot of stock in that sort of thing.
And please-please, don't-don't report that he was exonerated.
The sentence was vacated on a technicality, which sure as hell does not make him an innocent man.
I don't know who picked out your tie, but they sure have style.
- There was nothing to-- - Technicality my ass.
It wasn't his sperm.
Senator is just doing what he does best.
Stay on message.
Keep it simple.
Repeat, repeat, repeat.
Ever heard of forced confession, asshole? Amantha, please? I should just walk over there and kill him, right now.
They can take me straight to death row.
Skip the middle man.
Just remember, everything we do is being watched and judged.
Can I at least flip him the bird? No.
Everyone can say their hellos to Daniel, briefly.
And then, we have to go straight to the press conference.
Hellos and introductions, you mean? I don't know why these two are even here.
Ahem.
More family looks better.
Remember, just because he's getting out doesn't mean this thing is over yet.
At least look like you give two shits.
Amantha, please.
That suit fits you perfect.
Goddamn-- I mean, perfect.
You are perfect, brother.
You are so damn perfect.
Hello, Daniel.
Hello, mother.
Oh! Oh! Oh, God! My sweetheart.
We are not here to play politics today.
We are here because Daniel Holden was convicted of murder and sentenced to death.
We are here because of the perverse miracle that Daniel is still alive, and because of the outright fluke that crucial DNA evidence was not lost, or thrown away, or destroyed.
We are here because the DNA testing conclusively disputes that there was a sole perpetrator, or that the sole perpetrator was Daniel Holden, as the State had claimed.
Let's hope that the prosecution and politicians go after the real killers, instead of going after an innocent man a second time.
Daniel? Hello.
I'm not sure what to make of this drastic change of course in my life.
I'm certainly not against it.
Over the past two decades, I have developed a strict routine, which I followed religiously, you might say, a way of living and-and thinking, or not thinking, as was often the point of, well, the point.
Now, this way of being didn't encourage the contemplation that a day like today could ever occur, or a tomorrow like tomorrow w-will be for me now.
I had convinced myself, that kind of optimism served no useful purpose in the world where I existed.
Obviously, this radical belief system was flawed, and was, ironically, a kind of fantasy itself.
At the least, I feel that those specific coping skills were best suited to the life there behind me.
I doubt they will serve me so well for the life in front of me.
So, I will seriously need to reconsider my world view.
Uh, now would be a good time to thank everyone.
Yes, thank you.
There are many people to thank.
M-m-my mother and sister for their enduring love, devotion, and faith.
You gettin' carsick, Danny? What? I-I don't know.
I feel sleepy, and I don't know why.
Go to sleep, then.
Why not? I'll keep both hands on the wheel.
Hey.
He fell asleep? Like a rock, almost the whole way, right into the garage.
So, he didn't see the town? Anything? Not even the expanded Dollar Store.
Hand me the peas, dear.
Mom? Did you check the roast? I did.
Mom, what happened to you today was okay, you know? It was a long time comin', mother.
For God's sake, it's normal, mom.
How is any of this normal? How? Nothing about this has ever been normal, Amantha, and it never will be.
And I would like to just not talk about it for a little bit.
I would like to simply make supper.
Sure, mom.
Hello? Anybody in here? Just us chickens! Ah, here's my buddy.
Oh! Don't I get one? Don't I get one? There's one for you, too.
Take what I can get.
Where is he? He's in the house, right? He's upstairs taking a bath, Jared.
Oh, that's cool.
Mmm-hmm-- yeah.
Knees, 4870.
Up.
Move it, 4870.
Get up, 4870.
Won't be killin' three-year-old girls in here now, will ya? Three-year-old? Damn, voodoo.
I like your style.
Hope you didn't blow your wad on the first date.
Shut up! Can't take it anymore! Try and tune that out.
We'll talk later.
Compare notes and such.
Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you for this most wonderful day, for this miracle you've bestowed upon us, for this deliverance of Daniel back into our home.
We ask for your wisdom, as we go forward into the uncertainty of the days ahead, that you bless this food for the nourishment of our bodies, and forgive us of our sins.
In Jesus' name, we pray.
Amen.
Amen.
Very nice, Ted.
Very nice, Ted.
Thank you, Daniel.
Very nice, Ted.
- Well-- - Sure looks good.
What do you think, buddy? Looks tasty, mom.
Thank you, Jared.
Can I have your plate, Danny? Sure.
Danny, you gotta try this cornbread.
There's an end piece down there somewhere.
Looks great.
Thank you, Jared.
You're welcome.
Here's some corn.
Are you okay? I'm not checking on you or anything.
I just came outside for a smoke.
Do you wanna be left alone? I can go smoke in the backyard.
I don't know.
Well, you wanna do anything later? Play hearts, or-- I don't know.
Go to town.
Okay.
See it at first when it's not so bright, you know? Of course, honey.
Five times during his incarceration, Mr.
Holden has been scheduled to die, but each time, his execution was stayed due to appeal.
Damn.
That'll tighten the sphincter.
Give me another slice, babe.
There is a lot to process, right now.
Uh, I'll probably be happier later.
It's almost like he's playing for laughs, sometimes.
I don't think so.
He just sees things differently.
Perhaps I will be angrier later, as I will be happier.
I'm tired of watching this.
See what else is on.
No, don't! Damn, I was just kidding.
How does it feel to be outside? Free.
What'd you think when you first saw your family? Thought of family, uh, "we.
" Where'd they go? Just ridin' around.
I feel he should have his room back, mom.
No, Jared.
That's your room now.
Yeah, but it's not like he went off to college.
Jared, Daniel wanted you to have his room.
He told you that? Yes, a long time ago.
It made him very happy to know you were in there.
He didn't hardly say anything tonight.
Well, he doesn't know how to, honey.
I kinda don't, either.
Nobody does.
We'll just all learn together.
Okay? This way of being didn't encourage the contemplation that a day like today could ever occur.
Look at him.
You tell me he didn't kill that girl.
He killed her.
Yeah, but there's a little bit of a hole in the case, now.
They've got multiple semen samples, and the only sample they can single out was not Holden.
Son of a bitch confessed, CJ.
Remember? Yeah, I remember.
Then why in the hell would a person confess to somethin' they didn't do? You've had 19 years to think on that, and you ain't figured out an answer other than he did it? Meaning what? One of those boys saw Holden on top of that girl, forcin' himself.
But, without a definite hit on his sperm, those witnesses ain't gonna be quite as solid this time, are they? And they might even be suspects.
We know that, CJ, and nobody's decidin' anything, right now.
Decidin' what? Don't the DA have a say in this? She's gonna be brought in.
But, not tonight? No.
Look, it's reasonable to think a couple of them other boys coulda had intercourse with her.
Doesn't mean they killed her.
Doesn't mean they didn't.
Is this, like, weird? It's not unweird.
How long has that video store been there? Was there about 15 years.
Was? Shut down about a year ago.
Hey, we can go to the Target in Mansfield.
What's the Target? You are.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
I-I don't know why I said that.
It just came out.
You're a funny, sister.
Oh, good.
You got it.
That's kinda how I deal.
Gallows humor.
Exactly.
Of course, you would know about that, wouldn't you? I mean, God! I did it, again.
Mmm-hmm.
We call it lethal injection humor-- more humane, but not as funny.
She was his girlfriend.
Gives him even more motive.
Can you not see that? Carl.
Nobody wants to open this back up, CJ, all the pain.
But, that's no reason to let a killer walk.
I've got doubts he is the killer, now.
But, are they reasonable doubts? Just forget about the confession for a minute.
He was found sitting beside the girl's corpse, just holding her hand, speaking gibberish half the time, and the other half saying how sorry he was.
He didn't go get help.
He didn't scream out.
He spent the morning gathering wildflowers to put in her hair, CJ.
And I was the one who found him with her, remember? I remember.
I just wanna make sure you remember.
Well, what do you want from me, Roland? Just tell me.
CJ, we just wanna know, if Holden's re-indicted by the new DA-- I'm retired, remember? You might have to testify, at some point, grand jury and all.
No shit.
Mistakes were made, CJ.
No doubt about it.
We've all made mistakes in our own individual lives, things we regret, do different.
That's beside the point, whether Holden is the killer, which I believe, deep in my heart he is.
I couldn't have lived with myself all these years otherwise, could you? And I'll be damned if I'm gonna let him get away with it now, just because we tried to protect an innocent girl's reputation, and so as to spare her mother even more pain.
I'll review the case.
Try and get everything straight in my mind, again.
Where's Holden at anyway? At his mama's.
He's not movin' back here, is he? Don't know.
Lord-lord-lord.
No matter how you slice it, I sometimes wonder if this is ever goin' away.
Hmm? Hello.
Hey, it's after 12.
I know.
What are ya'll doin'? Just-just drivin' around.
Why are you whispering? Daniel's asleep.
Well, are you gonna drive around all night? Probably not.
I'm not gonna worry, then.
No, go on to sleep.
I'm not breakin' the law, asshole.
What, are we in high school? Are you kiddin' me? You like? It's, um-- I just wanted it to be special for ya, honey.
I would say you succeeded.
Thank you, Amantha, for everything.
You're quite welcome, brother.
Anytime.
We're lost, aren't we? Totally.
Sorry I'm late.
Mmm-hmm.
Couldn't sleep last night.
I was wound up like a top.
Yep.
Me and Tawney got in a big fight.
You see all that coverage? Some of it.
Boy, it's controversial, huh? It's that.
So, when is he gonna start workin' here? Whenever he wants to.
Dad, the minute he steps foot in this store, at least half the people who do business here are gonna stop coming.
I'm aware of that.
A 50% cut in revenue is not gonna support two households.
I'm aware of that, too.
- Look, maybe if we explained the situation-- - No, sir.
Dad, he deserves to have all the information to make an informed decision.
Absolutely not, Teddy.
Now, listen to me.
This is his family business.
It's not ours.
We just married into it.
Now, if he wants to come work here, it's his right.
We can't put that kind of weight on him, not with everything else he's had to deal with in his life.
Well, I might as well start lookin' for a new job, right now.
"Of Human Bondage".
"Of Human Bondage"? You want me to read a book called "Of Human Bondage"? It's not that kind of bondage.
I would hope so.
Hey, will I be glad when you get past your dead white man writin' about white Europe stage.
I am on kind of a jag.
You oughta sprinkle in a little "Arthur Arthur!" Brother-brother from time to time.
Okay, sure.
I got somethin' I think you'll appreciate, too.
It ain't modern times, either.
It's about black folks owning slaves in the South before the Civil War.
Curious.
Free men buyin' their brothers and sisters for-- Hey, man, just read the book.
I'm hooked already.
Then, I'll give your dead Somerset Maugham a shot when you're done.
But, if it don't grab me early, I'm settin' it down.
No rules for a club that's not a club.
My lawyer said he'd be more optimistic about an appeal if I hadn't done it.
How did you respond? Just nodded, you know? Less money they get paid, the more sensitive they are.
So, well, hell, at least this one comes by for a visit every once in a while.
I don't know.
Maybe I oughta just throw in the towel.
Shorten the exit.
I can't do time the way you do it.
I don't do time.
That's what I'm talkin' about.
I can't do time by not doin' time the way you do time.
All that cross-legged shit just make me antsy.
Well, maybe if you didn't judge the experience while - it was happenin', then you-- - Man, shut up! You know what's whack? Lots of things.
Sittin' in this tomb, day after day, puttin' up with this food, puttin' up wit' your pale, white ass.
What's whack is I still wanna live, every day.
What's that about? Vitamin A deficiency.
You trip me out, D.
You trip me out, Kerwin.
Hungry? I think I'd like a beer.
Oh, um, let's see.
Teddy usually has one or two in the fridge.
Sometimes, he stops by for a visit.
Here we go.
Would he mind? Of course not.
Yeah.
I'm payin' bills.
Sit down, if you'd like.
Uh, I don't think I wanna become computer literate or mobile phone literate, either.
Might be a little much, all at once.
I-I would like a television, though, with a movie player, a-a DVD player.
We can do that.
I'll pay you back, as soon as I start work.
Don't be silly.
Okay.
No, I mean, we already have one of those.
I see.
Thank you for the books, mother.
Of course.
You know, I-I won't be around here forever, mother.
What do you mean? Well, at your house and Ted's.
This is your house, too, Daniel-- you can stay as long as you like.
Well, I can't quite get a handle on the concept of time yet.
There have been moments here today where I feel like I've only been gone a few weeks, and I'm still in high school.
But mostly, it seems like I was always there.
So, you may have to tell me, mother.
Tell you? When it's time for me to leave.
Hey, Jimmy.
How ya doin'? Good.
- Hi, Senator.
- Good morning.
How are ya, sir? Saw your speech, Senator.
But, I still don't understand why they let him out, if he said he did it.
Oh, I'm as baffled as you are, Lonny.
My advice is, let your feelings be known to our current prosecutor.
A little heat might get things cookin'.
Sheriff.
Where's your daddy? He's got belly problems.
Who ain't? Ain't you a sight for sore eyes, Marcy? What'll you have, sweetie? Everybody calls me Senator, and you call me, "sweetie.
" Well, that's 'cause I've known you "sweetie" a lot longer than I've known you "Senator.
" That's a fact.
I'll have a wildcat breakfast, extra sausage.
Okay, you got it, Senator-- sweetie.
You ain't still tappin' that, are ya? No, I'm on the wagon.
Oh, extra biscuits, Marcy! Thought you were havin' belly problems, too.
Perception, Sheriff.
I'm gonna eat like a man without a worry in the world.
Have you seen today's "Atlanta Journal?" Two hours ago.
Your feelings hurt? I'm tinkled pink.
Having the big city papers attacking me down here is a asset, not a liability.
You get a chance to speak to those witnesses yet? Wasn't sure if I should.
She'll wanna talk to 'em, madame prosecutor.
I'd imagine.
This is as messed up as a pile of hangers.
A funny place to have a reunion.
Not so funny.
How's Florida? I don't care for it.
Where's your car, Georgie? I took the bus.
Make sure I wasn't being followed.
By who? Now they know what they didn't know.
Yes, kinda big news around here.
Did you kill her, Trey? What? No.
Did you, Georgie? No.
He killed her.
How do you know? It's the only thing that makes sense to me.
I think about it a lot.
That's always been your problem.
We were just kids.
Wasn't real, you know? What are you gonna do, Trey? Tell the truth.
What is the truth? Well, what's your point, Jon? My point is that there are 100 different ways the prosecution can convince a jury that Daniel did this, no matter what the DNA does or doesn't say.
Of course, they can.
That's what they do.
They're in the convincing business, Jon.
First, they convince themselves.
Then, they convince anybody necessary, by any means necessary, including sometimes the defendants themselves.
All you have to do, if it comes down to it, is to convince one out of twelve people in a jury that the prosecutors are lying, cheating, son of a bitch bastards! I'm sorry.
Understandable.
How is Daniel doing, anyway? I don't know.
I just wanna hug him all the time, but I know it'd freak him out.
Maybe you can sneak one in, occasionally.
Why couldn't Ted, Jr.
be wrongly convicted and spend more than half his life on death row? He'd probably come out fine.
That might be a little harsh.
No, it's not.
I can't imagine you and Ted, Jr.
living in the same house as adolescents.
We had to share a bathroom, too-- beyond gross.
Ew.
It's not funny.
No, of course not.
I need therapy just for those three years alone.
Post Traumatic Ted Syndrome.
It's so under reported, too.
I'm coming down tomorrow.
Okay, but why so soon? Rutherford Gaines has pancreatic cancer.
Really? I don't wanna regret not asking him anything important.
The only thing I regret is that he was Daniel's lawyer in the first place.
Talk about a pussy.
Well, I think he regrets that now, too.
Old man regrets-- hollow and too frickin' late.
But, I'm glad you're comin' down, Jon.
Me, too, Amantha.
I'm real glad you're on our side.
Hello.
This has a DVD player in it.
You can watch movies and stuff.
Is it yours? Yeah, but I've got an iPad, so I stream, mostly.
Okay.
Well, thank you, Jared.
Yeah.
Uh, I could help you hook it up.
I mean, I know you just plug it in, but I know where the plug is.
I think I need help.
I'm guessing you don't have any DVD's yet.
No.
Yeah, I didn't think so, but I didn't want to, you know.
Presume? Y-yeah, exactly, presume.
Uh, anyways, I've got kind of a collection.
I've been thinking, like, if you haven't seen movies in a long time, which ones would be good to start with and work your way up.
I'd appreciate the guidance.
Okay.
Well, you can go a lot of ways.
But, uh, one of my favorites-- it's called "Dazed And Confused.
" I like the title.
Yeah, I heard that.
Uh, anyway, it's a cool movie.
Not too heavy or anything like that.
And, um, I could even watch it with you.
Or-or, you might wanna be by yourself.
I mean, it's all good.
I think I'd rather watch it with you.
Oh, sure-- cool.
Uh, right now? Oh, did you mean right now? Uh, yeah, yeah, sure.
I-I'll go get it.
Sir, you know, every second that you could let us out early would really increase our chances of survival.
Just like our sergeant told us before one trip into the jungle-- "men!" "Fifty of you are leavin' on a mission.
Twenty-five of ya ain't coming back.
" Everything seems clear we're all right we're all right Tell me not to trip or to lose sight, take my hand and help me not to shake, say I'm all right, I'm all right say I'm all right, I'm all right
Take your pants off for me.
Pull your underpants down for me.
Turn around.
Now, bend over.
All right-- get up.
Turn back around.
We're moving to the holding cell.
Uh, these are for you, Daniel.
I'm supposed to take your prison clothes.
Would you like somethin' to drink? What? When I come back, I could bring you somethin' to drink.
A Coke.
Ice? Sure.
I don't know why you wouldn't ride with us.
Something seemed karmically wrong about that, mother.
Well, we're late, karma or not.
So, have your ID ready and take off all your jewelry.
I've been there a lot more than you lately.
I know the drill.
Ted, Jr's calling in.
Ha, what? Does he wanna stop at We'll see you there, Amantha.
Hey.
Hey, mama.
Tell dad he better pick it up.
It's gonna suck if we're late for this thing.
Ted, Teddy says pick it up.
Um, Teddy? Yeah, mama? Could you call me Janet? What? Just for a while, just until Daniel gets used to all the changes and everything.
She wants us to call her Janet for a while.
I can't imagine what she's going through, right now.
Don't assume it's all good.
What do you mean? Sheriff still believes he was in on it.
A lot of people do.
Well, you don't think that, do you, that he could've done somethin' that horrible to her? Well, I sure did.
I mean, he was convicted.
What would a rational person think all these years? Now, hell, I don't know.
I never even met the guy.
I still don't understand.
Come on, Tawney.
What was I supposed to do? Go down to death row and introduce myself? "Hi, I'm Ted-- I'm, uh, your new stepbrother, and I'm gonna be takin' over the business you thought would be yours one day.
" I mean, why torture the guy? I hate to say it, but we all thought he'd be dead by now anyway.
Hey, Amantha.
Where are you? Closer by the day.
Uh, if you don't get here soon, I may have to recruit some people from the crowd to play the family.
At least pick people who are glad he's still alive.
I'll take a poll.
Have you seen him yet? No, not yet.
But, he got the suit? I was assured he did.
God, I hope I don't fall apart.
It's okay if you do.
Are you kidding me? What? What, Jon? Roland Foulkes just showed up.
How ya doin' today-- Joel.
Son of a bitch.
So nice to see you.
Hi, how are you? I'll have a comment after.
So nice to see you, again.
They say it's pretty crazy out there.
Where's your tie? Uh, I couldn't remember.
Remember? How to tie it.
It's, uh, a Windsor knot.
I think.
Hey, man, I could tie it for you.
I mean, I don't know if it's a Windsor, but it's the kind I do on me, for church.
Tie it on me.
Then, we transfer it to you.
Almost two decades ago, I prosecuted a case where Miss Hannah Abigail Dean was brutally raped and murdered.
DNA testing on material sitting in some box in an evidence room all these years is not gonna change that fact or bring that girl back.
We must remember that she was only 16 years old, a mere child, with her whole life ahead of her, and that life was taken in the most heinous manner I personally have ever seen.
Sources are reporting that Mr.
Holden is still considered a suspect, in spite of the DNA results.
Well, I'm sure our current DA will address some of these complex procedural questions this new breed of lawyer loves to go on about.
I'm just here to remind ya'll of a few things that seem to have gotten lost in this DNA hysteria.
Daniel Holden confessed to raping Hannah.
He confessed to killing Hannah.
Now, where I come from, we put a lot of stock in that sort of thing.
And please-please, don't-don't report that he was exonerated.
The sentence was vacated on a technicality, which sure as hell does not make him an innocent man.
I don't know who picked out your tie, but they sure have style.
- There was nothing to-- - Technicality my ass.
It wasn't his sperm.
Senator is just doing what he does best.
Stay on message.
Keep it simple.
Repeat, repeat, repeat.
Ever heard of forced confession, asshole? Amantha, please? I should just walk over there and kill him, right now.
They can take me straight to death row.
Skip the middle man.
Just remember, everything we do is being watched and judged.
Can I at least flip him the bird? No.
Everyone can say their hellos to Daniel, briefly.
And then, we have to go straight to the press conference.
Hellos and introductions, you mean? I don't know why these two are even here.
Ahem.
More family looks better.
Remember, just because he's getting out doesn't mean this thing is over yet.
At least look like you give two shits.
Amantha, please.
That suit fits you perfect.
Goddamn-- I mean, perfect.
You are perfect, brother.
You are so damn perfect.
Hello, Daniel.
Hello, mother.
Oh! Oh! Oh, God! My sweetheart.
We are not here to play politics today.
We are here because Daniel Holden was convicted of murder and sentenced to death.
We are here because of the perverse miracle that Daniel is still alive, and because of the outright fluke that crucial DNA evidence was not lost, or thrown away, or destroyed.
We are here because the DNA testing conclusively disputes that there was a sole perpetrator, or that the sole perpetrator was Daniel Holden, as the State had claimed.
Let's hope that the prosecution and politicians go after the real killers, instead of going after an innocent man a second time.
Daniel? Hello.
I'm not sure what to make of this drastic change of course in my life.
I'm certainly not against it.
Over the past two decades, I have developed a strict routine, which I followed religiously, you might say, a way of living and-and thinking, or not thinking, as was often the point of, well, the point.
Now, this way of being didn't encourage the contemplation that a day like today could ever occur, or a tomorrow like tomorrow w-will be for me now.
I had convinced myself, that kind of optimism served no useful purpose in the world where I existed.
Obviously, this radical belief system was flawed, and was, ironically, a kind of fantasy itself.
At the least, I feel that those specific coping skills were best suited to the life there behind me.
I doubt they will serve me so well for the life in front of me.
So, I will seriously need to reconsider my world view.
Uh, now would be a good time to thank everyone.
Yes, thank you.
There are many people to thank.
M-m-my mother and sister for their enduring love, devotion, and faith.
You gettin' carsick, Danny? What? I-I don't know.
I feel sleepy, and I don't know why.
Go to sleep, then.
Why not? I'll keep both hands on the wheel.
Hey.
He fell asleep? Like a rock, almost the whole way, right into the garage.
So, he didn't see the town? Anything? Not even the expanded Dollar Store.
Hand me the peas, dear.
Mom? Did you check the roast? I did.
Mom, what happened to you today was okay, you know? It was a long time comin', mother.
For God's sake, it's normal, mom.
How is any of this normal? How? Nothing about this has ever been normal, Amantha, and it never will be.
And I would like to just not talk about it for a little bit.
I would like to simply make supper.
Sure, mom.
Hello? Anybody in here? Just us chickens! Ah, here's my buddy.
Oh! Don't I get one? Don't I get one? There's one for you, too.
Take what I can get.
Where is he? He's in the house, right? He's upstairs taking a bath, Jared.
Oh, that's cool.
Mmm-hmm-- yeah.
Knees, 4870.
Up.
Move it, 4870.
Get up, 4870.
Won't be killin' three-year-old girls in here now, will ya? Three-year-old? Damn, voodoo.
I like your style.
Hope you didn't blow your wad on the first date.
Shut up! Can't take it anymore! Try and tune that out.
We'll talk later.
Compare notes and such.
Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you for this most wonderful day, for this miracle you've bestowed upon us, for this deliverance of Daniel back into our home.
We ask for your wisdom, as we go forward into the uncertainty of the days ahead, that you bless this food for the nourishment of our bodies, and forgive us of our sins.
In Jesus' name, we pray.
Amen.
Amen.
Very nice, Ted.
Very nice, Ted.
Thank you, Daniel.
Very nice, Ted.
- Well-- - Sure looks good.
What do you think, buddy? Looks tasty, mom.
Thank you, Jared.
Can I have your plate, Danny? Sure.
Danny, you gotta try this cornbread.
There's an end piece down there somewhere.
Looks great.
Thank you, Jared.
You're welcome.
Here's some corn.
Are you okay? I'm not checking on you or anything.
I just came outside for a smoke.
Do you wanna be left alone? I can go smoke in the backyard.
I don't know.
Well, you wanna do anything later? Play hearts, or-- I don't know.
Go to town.
Okay.
See it at first when it's not so bright, you know? Of course, honey.
Five times during his incarceration, Mr.
Holden has been scheduled to die, but each time, his execution was stayed due to appeal.
Damn.
That'll tighten the sphincter.
Give me another slice, babe.
There is a lot to process, right now.
Uh, I'll probably be happier later.
It's almost like he's playing for laughs, sometimes.
I don't think so.
He just sees things differently.
Perhaps I will be angrier later, as I will be happier.
I'm tired of watching this.
See what else is on.
No, don't! Damn, I was just kidding.
How does it feel to be outside? Free.
What'd you think when you first saw your family? Thought of family, uh, "we.
" Where'd they go? Just ridin' around.
I feel he should have his room back, mom.
No, Jared.
That's your room now.
Yeah, but it's not like he went off to college.
Jared, Daniel wanted you to have his room.
He told you that? Yes, a long time ago.
It made him very happy to know you were in there.
He didn't hardly say anything tonight.
Well, he doesn't know how to, honey.
I kinda don't, either.
Nobody does.
We'll just all learn together.
Okay? This way of being didn't encourage the contemplation that a day like today could ever occur.
Look at him.
You tell me he didn't kill that girl.
He killed her.
Yeah, but there's a little bit of a hole in the case, now.
They've got multiple semen samples, and the only sample they can single out was not Holden.
Son of a bitch confessed, CJ.
Remember? Yeah, I remember.
Then why in the hell would a person confess to somethin' they didn't do? You've had 19 years to think on that, and you ain't figured out an answer other than he did it? Meaning what? One of those boys saw Holden on top of that girl, forcin' himself.
But, without a definite hit on his sperm, those witnesses ain't gonna be quite as solid this time, are they? And they might even be suspects.
We know that, CJ, and nobody's decidin' anything, right now.
Decidin' what? Don't the DA have a say in this? She's gonna be brought in.
But, not tonight? No.
Look, it's reasonable to think a couple of them other boys coulda had intercourse with her.
Doesn't mean they killed her.
Doesn't mean they didn't.
Is this, like, weird? It's not unweird.
How long has that video store been there? Was there about 15 years.
Was? Shut down about a year ago.
Hey, we can go to the Target in Mansfield.
What's the Target? You are.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
I-I don't know why I said that.
It just came out.
You're a funny, sister.
Oh, good.
You got it.
That's kinda how I deal.
Gallows humor.
Exactly.
Of course, you would know about that, wouldn't you? I mean, God! I did it, again.
Mmm-hmm.
We call it lethal injection humor-- more humane, but not as funny.
She was his girlfriend.
Gives him even more motive.
Can you not see that? Carl.
Nobody wants to open this back up, CJ, all the pain.
But, that's no reason to let a killer walk.
I've got doubts he is the killer, now.
But, are they reasonable doubts? Just forget about the confession for a minute.
He was found sitting beside the girl's corpse, just holding her hand, speaking gibberish half the time, and the other half saying how sorry he was.
He didn't go get help.
He didn't scream out.
He spent the morning gathering wildflowers to put in her hair, CJ.
And I was the one who found him with her, remember? I remember.
I just wanna make sure you remember.
Well, what do you want from me, Roland? Just tell me.
CJ, we just wanna know, if Holden's re-indicted by the new DA-- I'm retired, remember? You might have to testify, at some point, grand jury and all.
No shit.
Mistakes were made, CJ.
No doubt about it.
We've all made mistakes in our own individual lives, things we regret, do different.
That's beside the point, whether Holden is the killer, which I believe, deep in my heart he is.
I couldn't have lived with myself all these years otherwise, could you? And I'll be damned if I'm gonna let him get away with it now, just because we tried to protect an innocent girl's reputation, and so as to spare her mother even more pain.
I'll review the case.
Try and get everything straight in my mind, again.
Where's Holden at anyway? At his mama's.
He's not movin' back here, is he? Don't know.
Lord-lord-lord.
No matter how you slice it, I sometimes wonder if this is ever goin' away.
Hmm? Hello.
Hey, it's after 12.
I know.
What are ya'll doin'? Just-just drivin' around.
Why are you whispering? Daniel's asleep.
Well, are you gonna drive around all night? Probably not.
I'm not gonna worry, then.
No, go on to sleep.
I'm not breakin' the law, asshole.
What, are we in high school? Are you kiddin' me? You like? It's, um-- I just wanted it to be special for ya, honey.
I would say you succeeded.
Thank you, Amantha, for everything.
You're quite welcome, brother.
Anytime.
We're lost, aren't we? Totally.
Sorry I'm late.
Mmm-hmm.
Couldn't sleep last night.
I was wound up like a top.
Yep.
Me and Tawney got in a big fight.
You see all that coverage? Some of it.
Boy, it's controversial, huh? It's that.
So, when is he gonna start workin' here? Whenever he wants to.
Dad, the minute he steps foot in this store, at least half the people who do business here are gonna stop coming.
I'm aware of that.
A 50% cut in revenue is not gonna support two households.
I'm aware of that, too.
- Look, maybe if we explained the situation-- - No, sir.
Dad, he deserves to have all the information to make an informed decision.
Absolutely not, Teddy.
Now, listen to me.
This is his family business.
It's not ours.
We just married into it.
Now, if he wants to come work here, it's his right.
We can't put that kind of weight on him, not with everything else he's had to deal with in his life.
Well, I might as well start lookin' for a new job, right now.
"Of Human Bondage".
"Of Human Bondage"? You want me to read a book called "Of Human Bondage"? It's not that kind of bondage.
I would hope so.
Hey, will I be glad when you get past your dead white man writin' about white Europe stage.
I am on kind of a jag.
You oughta sprinkle in a little "Arthur Arthur!" Brother-brother from time to time.
Okay, sure.
I got somethin' I think you'll appreciate, too.
It ain't modern times, either.
It's about black folks owning slaves in the South before the Civil War.
Curious.
Free men buyin' their brothers and sisters for-- Hey, man, just read the book.
I'm hooked already.
Then, I'll give your dead Somerset Maugham a shot when you're done.
But, if it don't grab me early, I'm settin' it down.
No rules for a club that's not a club.
My lawyer said he'd be more optimistic about an appeal if I hadn't done it.
How did you respond? Just nodded, you know? Less money they get paid, the more sensitive they are.
So, well, hell, at least this one comes by for a visit every once in a while.
I don't know.
Maybe I oughta just throw in the towel.
Shorten the exit.
I can't do time the way you do it.
I don't do time.
That's what I'm talkin' about.
I can't do time by not doin' time the way you do time.
All that cross-legged shit just make me antsy.
Well, maybe if you didn't judge the experience while - it was happenin', then you-- - Man, shut up! You know what's whack? Lots of things.
Sittin' in this tomb, day after day, puttin' up with this food, puttin' up wit' your pale, white ass.
What's whack is I still wanna live, every day.
What's that about? Vitamin A deficiency.
You trip me out, D.
You trip me out, Kerwin.
Hungry? I think I'd like a beer.
Oh, um, let's see.
Teddy usually has one or two in the fridge.
Sometimes, he stops by for a visit.
Here we go.
Would he mind? Of course not.
Yeah.
I'm payin' bills.
Sit down, if you'd like.
Uh, I don't think I wanna become computer literate or mobile phone literate, either.
Might be a little much, all at once.
I-I would like a television, though, with a movie player, a-a DVD player.
We can do that.
I'll pay you back, as soon as I start work.
Don't be silly.
Okay.
No, I mean, we already have one of those.
I see.
Thank you for the books, mother.
Of course.
You know, I-I won't be around here forever, mother.
What do you mean? Well, at your house and Ted's.
This is your house, too, Daniel-- you can stay as long as you like.
Well, I can't quite get a handle on the concept of time yet.
There have been moments here today where I feel like I've only been gone a few weeks, and I'm still in high school.
But mostly, it seems like I was always there.
So, you may have to tell me, mother.
Tell you? When it's time for me to leave.
Hey, Jimmy.
How ya doin'? Good.
- Hi, Senator.
- Good morning.
How are ya, sir? Saw your speech, Senator.
But, I still don't understand why they let him out, if he said he did it.
Oh, I'm as baffled as you are, Lonny.
My advice is, let your feelings be known to our current prosecutor.
A little heat might get things cookin'.
Sheriff.
Where's your daddy? He's got belly problems.
Who ain't? Ain't you a sight for sore eyes, Marcy? What'll you have, sweetie? Everybody calls me Senator, and you call me, "sweetie.
" Well, that's 'cause I've known you "sweetie" a lot longer than I've known you "Senator.
" That's a fact.
I'll have a wildcat breakfast, extra sausage.
Okay, you got it, Senator-- sweetie.
You ain't still tappin' that, are ya? No, I'm on the wagon.
Oh, extra biscuits, Marcy! Thought you were havin' belly problems, too.
Perception, Sheriff.
I'm gonna eat like a man without a worry in the world.
Have you seen today's "Atlanta Journal?" Two hours ago.
Your feelings hurt? I'm tinkled pink.
Having the big city papers attacking me down here is a asset, not a liability.
You get a chance to speak to those witnesses yet? Wasn't sure if I should.
She'll wanna talk to 'em, madame prosecutor.
I'd imagine.
This is as messed up as a pile of hangers.
A funny place to have a reunion.
Not so funny.
How's Florida? I don't care for it.
Where's your car, Georgie? I took the bus.
Make sure I wasn't being followed.
By who? Now they know what they didn't know.
Yes, kinda big news around here.
Did you kill her, Trey? What? No.
Did you, Georgie? No.
He killed her.
How do you know? It's the only thing that makes sense to me.
I think about it a lot.
That's always been your problem.
We were just kids.
Wasn't real, you know? What are you gonna do, Trey? Tell the truth.
What is the truth? Well, what's your point, Jon? My point is that there are 100 different ways the prosecution can convince a jury that Daniel did this, no matter what the DNA does or doesn't say.
Of course, they can.
That's what they do.
They're in the convincing business, Jon.
First, they convince themselves.
Then, they convince anybody necessary, by any means necessary, including sometimes the defendants themselves.
All you have to do, if it comes down to it, is to convince one out of twelve people in a jury that the prosecutors are lying, cheating, son of a bitch bastards! I'm sorry.
Understandable.
How is Daniel doing, anyway? I don't know.
I just wanna hug him all the time, but I know it'd freak him out.
Maybe you can sneak one in, occasionally.
Why couldn't Ted, Jr.
be wrongly convicted and spend more than half his life on death row? He'd probably come out fine.
That might be a little harsh.
No, it's not.
I can't imagine you and Ted, Jr.
living in the same house as adolescents.
We had to share a bathroom, too-- beyond gross.
Ew.
It's not funny.
No, of course not.
I need therapy just for those three years alone.
Post Traumatic Ted Syndrome.
It's so under reported, too.
I'm coming down tomorrow.
Okay, but why so soon? Rutherford Gaines has pancreatic cancer.
Really? I don't wanna regret not asking him anything important.
The only thing I regret is that he was Daniel's lawyer in the first place.
Talk about a pussy.
Well, I think he regrets that now, too.
Old man regrets-- hollow and too frickin' late.
But, I'm glad you're comin' down, Jon.
Me, too, Amantha.
I'm real glad you're on our side.
Hello.
This has a DVD player in it.
You can watch movies and stuff.
Is it yours? Yeah, but I've got an iPad, so I stream, mostly.
Okay.
Well, thank you, Jared.
Yeah.
Uh, I could help you hook it up.
I mean, I know you just plug it in, but I know where the plug is.
I think I need help.
I'm guessing you don't have any DVD's yet.
No.
Yeah, I didn't think so, but I didn't want to, you know.
Presume? Y-yeah, exactly, presume.
Uh, anyways, I've got kind of a collection.
I've been thinking, like, if you haven't seen movies in a long time, which ones would be good to start with and work your way up.
I'd appreciate the guidance.
Okay.
Well, you can go a lot of ways.
But, uh, one of my favorites-- it's called "Dazed And Confused.
" I like the title.
Yeah, I heard that.
Uh, anyway, it's a cool movie.
Not too heavy or anything like that.
And, um, I could even watch it with you.
Or-or, you might wanna be by yourself.
I mean, it's all good.
I think I'd rather watch it with you.
Oh, sure-- cool.
Uh, right now? Oh, did you mean right now? Uh, yeah, yeah, sure.
I-I'll go get it.
Sir, you know, every second that you could let us out early would really increase our chances of survival.
Just like our sergeant told us before one trip into the jungle-- "men!" "Fifty of you are leavin' on a mission.
Twenty-five of ya ain't coming back.
" Everything seems clear we're all right we're all right Tell me not to trip or to lose sight, take my hand and help me not to shake, say I'm all right, I'm all right say I'm all right, I'm all right