Twelve Angry Men by Reginald Rose
8TH JUROR: And Monday night.
7TH JUROR: When you get him down to New Year’s Eve, nineteen fifty lemme know.
4TH JUROR [trying to remember]: Monday. [He pauses.] Monday night. [He remembers.] Monday night my wife and I went to the movies.
8TH JUROR: What did you see?
4TH JUROR: The Scarlet Circle. It’s a very clever whodunit.
8TH JUROR: What was the second feature?
4TH JUROR [straining]: The… I’ll tell you in a minute. The—Remarkable Mrs. Something. Mrs.—uh—Mainbridge. No, Bainbridge. The Remarkable Mrs. Bainbridge.
2ND JUROR: Excuse me. I saw that. It’s called The Amazing Mrs. Bainbridge.
4TH JUROR: The—Amazing Mrs. Bainbridge. Yes. I think that’s right.
8TH JUROR: Who was in The Amazing Mrs. Bainbridge?
4TH JUROR: Barbara—Long, I think. She’s a dark, very pretty girl. Barbara—Lang—Lane—something like that.
8TH JUROR: Who else?
The 4TH JUROR takes a handkerchief and mops his suddenly sweating forehead.
4TH JUROR: Well, I’d never heard of them before. It was a very inexpensive second feature, with unknown…
8TH JUROR: And you weren’t under an emotional strain, were you?
4TH JUROR: No, I wasn’t.
9TH JUROR: I think the point is made.
10TH JUROR: Big point!
9TH JUROR: I think it is a big point.
10TH JUROR: What? Just because he can’t remember the name of some two-bit movie star? I suppose that proves the kid was at the movies.
9TH JUROR: No. But it indicates that no one can prove he wasn’t. He might have been at the movies and forgotten what he saw. It’s possible. If it’s perfectly normal for this gentleman [he indicates the 4TH JUROR]—to forget a few details, then it’s also perfectly normal for the boy. Being accused of murder isn’t necessarily supposed to give him an infallible memory.
10TH JUROR [to the 9TH JUROR]: You can talk till your tongue is draggin’ on the floor. The boy is guilty. Period. Know what I mean, my friend? Who’s got those cough drops?
2ND JUROR: They’re all gone, my friend.
FOREMAN: Y’know, there’s something we’re forgetting here that I was just thinking about. That whole business with the psychiatrist that dragged on forever.
10TH JUROR: Now don’t start with all that phoney psycho-whatever-you-call-it-stuff. What a racket that is! Filling people’s heads with all that junk. Listen, I’ve got three psychiatrists keeping their cars in one of my garages. The whole three of ’em are crazy.
FOREMAN: Listen, there’s a point I’m tryin’ to make here. Do you mind?
10TH JUROR: I wouldn’t give you a nickel for a psychiatrist’s testimony.
8TH JUROR: Why don’t you let the man talk? You can take five minutes on the uselessness of psychiatry when he’s finished.
FOREMAN: What I was gonna say was, the psychiatrist definitely stated that the boy had strong homicidal tendencies. I mean, that he was, what d’ya call it—capable of committing murder. He described all those tests, inkblots and all that stuff, and he said the kid is definitely a killer type. Am I right?
12TH JUROR: Check. I think he said something about paranoid tendencies if I’m not mistaken.
FOREMAN: Right. Whatever that is, he said it. Let’s not forget, we’re talking about a boy who always had murder on his mind.
12TH JUROR: His unconscious mind.
FOREMAN: Nobody else’s.
11TH JUROR: I beg pardon, in discussing—
10TH JUROR: I beg pardon. What are you so goddamn polite about?
11TH JUROR: For the same reason you’re not. It’s the way I was brought up. [He turns to the others.] In discussing such a thing as the murder potential we should remember that many of us are capable of committing murder. But few of us do. We impose controls upon ourselves to prevent it. The most these psychiatric tests can accomplish along these lines is this: they can tell us that someday a particular person may commit a murder. That’s all. They prove nothing.
4TH JUROR: Then how come they’re admitted in evidence?
11TH JUROR: They have many uses, of course. In this case they added to the general impression the prosecution was trying to create. Perhaps we would find that if we twelve men took the same tests, one or two of us might be discovered to have unconscious desires to kill, and the potentiality of carrying them out. Yet none of us has. To say that a man is capable of murder does not mean that he has committed murder.
10TH JUROR: But it can mean it. Listen, if they said the kid is capable of killing, he could’ve killed, couldn’t he?
8TH JUROR: You’re the one who said, and I quote, “I wouldn’t give you a nickel for a psychiatrist’s testimony.”
10TH JUROR: Boy, I’m telling you… [He crosses to the 8TH JUROR.] I’d like to… [He stops.]
The 8TH JUROR does not look up at him. The 10TH JUROR crosses angrily away.
6TH JUROR: What time is it?
7TH JUROR: It’s five of six. Man, look at that rain.
12TH JUROR: There goes your ball game.
2ND JUROR [to the 8TH JUROR]: Say, could I see that knife for a second?
The 8TH JUROR slides the knife across the table to the 2ND JUROR, who opens and examines it.
FOREMAN: Well, we’re still tied up six to six. Who’s got a suggestion?
12TH JUROR: I have. Let’s get some dinner.
5TH JUROR: Why don’t we wait till seven? Give it another hour.
12TH JUROR: OK with me.
2ND JUROR: Um—there’s something I’d like to say. I mean, it’s been bothering me a little and as long as we’re stuck.… Well, there was this whole business about the stab wound and how it was made, the downward angle of it, you know?
3RD JUROR: Don’t tell me we’re gonna start with that. They went over it and over it.
2ND JUROR: I know they did, but I don’t go along with it. The boy is five feet, seven inches tall. His father was six two. That’s a difference of seven inches. It’s a very awkward thing to stab down into the chest of someone who’s more than a half a foot taller than you are.
3RD JUROR [crossing to the 2ND JUROR and indicating the knife]: Give me that.
The 2ND JUROR hands the knife to the 3RD JUROR.
Look, you’re not gonna be satisfied till you see it again. I’m gonna give you a demonstration. Somebody get up.
There is a pause. No one moves for a moment, and then the 8TH JUROR rises and crosses to the 3RD JUROR. They stand looking at each other.
OK. [To the 2ND JUROR.] Now, watch this. I don’t want to have to do it again. [He turns to the 8TH JUROR, looks squarely at him, and squats to make himself shorter.] I’m six or seven inches shorter than you. Right?
2ND JUROR: That’s right. Maybe a little more.
3RD JUROR: OK. Let it be more.
The 3RD JUROR flicks open the knife, changes its position in his hand and holds it aloft, ready to stab downwards.
The 8TH JUROR and the 3RD JUROR look steadily at each other, then the 3RD JUROR suddenly stabs downward, hard.
2ND JUROR: Look out!
The blade stops about an inch from the 8TH JUROR’s chest. The 8TH JUROR does not move. The 3RD JUROR smiles.
6TH JUROR: That’s not funny.
5TH JUROR: What’s the matter with you?
3RD JUROR: Now just calm down. Nobody’s hurt. Right?
8TH JUROR: No. Nobody’s hurt.
3RD JUROR: All right. There’s your angle. Take a look at it. Down and in. That’s how I’d stab a taller man in the chest and that’s how it was done. Now go ahead and tell me I’m wrong.
The 3RD JUROR hands the knife to the 8TH JUROR and crosses away. The 12TH JUROR crosses to the 8TH JUROR and using his closed hand, simulates stabbing the 8TH JUROR in the chest.
12TH JUROR: Down and in. I guess there’s no argument.
5TH JUROR [moving to the 8TH JUROR]: Wait a minute. Give me that.
The 8TH JUROR hands the knife to t
I hate these things. I grew up with them.
8TH JUROR: Have you seen them used in fights?
5TH JUROR: Too many of them. On my stoop. In my backyard. In the lot across the street. Switch knives came with the neighborhood where I lived. Funny, I wasn’t thinking of it. I guess you try to forget those things. You don’t use this kind of knife that way. You have to hold it like this to release the blade. In order to stab downward, you would have to change your grip.
8TH JUROR: How do you use it?
5TH JUROR: Underhanded.
The 5TH JUROR flicks the knife open and, holding it underhanded, swings round and slashes swiftly forward and upward.
Like that. Anyone who’s ever used a switch knife’d never handle it any other way.
8TH JUROR: Are you sure?
5TH JUROR: I’m sure.
The 5TH JUROR closes the blade and flicks it open again. That’s why they’re made like this.
8TH JUROR: Everyone agreed that the boy is pretty handy with a knife, didn’t they?
5TH JUROR: That’s right.
8TH JUROR [to the 5TH JUROR]: Do you think he would have made the kind of wound that killed his father?
5TH JUROR: Not with the experience he’d had with these things. No, I don’t think he would. He’d go for him underhanded…
3RD JUROR: How do you know? What—were you in the room when the father was killed?
5TH JUROR: No, and neither was anyone else.
The 5TH JUROR sticks the knife in the table and crosses away.
3RD JUROR [to the 8TH JUROR]: You’re giving us a lot of mumbo-jumbo here. I don’t believe it.
4TH JUROR: I don’t think you can determine what type of wound this boy might or might not have made simply because he knows how to handle a knife.
3RD JUROR: That’s right. That’s absolutely right.
8TH JUROR [looking at the 12TH JUROR]: What do you think?
The 12TH JUROR hesitates for a moment. He is confused, but trying to be honest.
12TH JUROR: Well—I don’t know…
3RD JUROR: What d’ya mean—you don’t know?
12TH JUROR: I don’t know.
8TH JUROR [to the 7TH JUROR]: What about you?
The 7TH JUROR looks around the table momentarily.
4TH JUROR: Just a minute. According to the woman across the street…
7TH JUROR: Listen, I’ll tell you something. I’m a little sick of this whole thing already. All this yakkin’s gettin’ us nowhere so I’m going to break it up here. I’m changing my vote to “not guilty.”
3RD JUROR: You’re what?
7TH JUROR: You heard me. I’ve had enough.
3RD JUROR: What d’you mean—you’ve had enough? That’s no answer.
7TH JUROR: Hey, listen you! Just worry about yourself!
11TH JUROR [crossing to the 7TH JUROR]: He’s right. That is not an answer. What kind of man are you? You have sat here and voted guilty with everyone else because there are some baseball tickets burning a hole in your pocket. Now you have changed your vote because you say you’re sick of all the talking here.
7TH JUROR: Listen. buddy—
11TH JUROR: You have no right to play like this with a man’s life. This is a terrible and ugly thing to do. Don’t you care… ?
7TH JUROR: Now, wait a minute. You can’t talk like that to me!
11TH JUROR: I can talk like that to you. If you want to vote not guilty, then do it because you’re convinced the man is not guilty—not because you’ve had enough. And if you think he’s guilty, then vote that way, or don’t you have the guts to do what you think is right?
7TH JUROR: Now, listen. . .
11TH JUROR: Guilty or not guilty?
7TH JUROR: I told you—not guilty.
11TH JUROR: Why?
7TH JUROR: Goddamn you. I don’t have to—
11TH JUROR: You do have to. Say it. Why?
7TH JUROR [in a low voice]: I—don’t think he’s guilty.
The 11TH JUROR looks disgustedly at the 7TH JUROR, then moves to his chair. The 7TH JUROR stands defeated.
8TH JUROR: Mr. Foreman, I want another vote.
FOREMAN: OK, there’s another vote called for.
The JURORS cross to their chairs and sit.
I guess the quickest way is a show of hands. Anybody object? There is no answer.
All those voting “not guilty” raise your hands.
The 2ND, 5TH, 6TH, 7TH, 8TH, 9TH, and 11TH JURORS raise their hands immediately.
One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven.
The 12TH JUROR’s face is a mask of indecision, then he suddenly raises his hand.
Eight.
The FOREMAN stops counting and looks around the table. Slowly, almost embarrassed, he raises his own hand.
Nine. [He lowers his hand.] All those voting “guilty.”
The 3RD, 4TH, and 10TH JURORS raise their hands.
Nine to three in favor of “not guilty.”
10TH JUROR: I don’t understand you people. I mean, all these picky little points you keep bringing up. They don’t mean nothing. How can you believe his story? [To the 11TH JUROR.] You’re an intelligent man. Well, you’re not gonna tell me you’re not. You know the facts of life. Well, for Chrissakes look at what we’re dealing with here. You know what they’re like! I mean, that guy [he points to the 8TH JUROR]—over there, well, I don’t know what the hell is going on with him. All that talk about psychiatrists. Maybe he oughta go to one. Look, let’s talk facts. These people are born to lie. Now, it’s the way they are and no intelligent man is gonna tell me otherwise. They don’t know what the truth is. Well, take a look at them. They are different. They think different. They act different. Well, for instance, they don’t need any big excuse to kill someone.
The 5TH JUROR crosses to the washroom door.
Well, that’s true. Everybody knows it. They get drunk on wine or something cheap like that. Oh, they’re very big drinkers. The 5TH JUROR goes into the washroom, slams the door behind him.
Smart guy! Look at him for Chrissakes! What does that mean, slamming the door? And then they’re drunk, and all of a sudden—bang—somebody’s lying dead in the gutter. OK, nobody’s blaming them for it. That’s how they are, by nature, y’know what I mean? Violent! Human life don’t mean as much to them as it does to us.
The 11TH JUROR rises and crosses to the washroom door. He follows the 5TH JUROR.
Where are you going?
The 11TH JUROR does not reply and goes into the washroom.
While you’re in there, clean out your ears, maybe you’ll hear something.
The 4TH JUROR rises and moves to the window.
Look, you listen to me now. These people are boozing it up, and fighting all the time, and if somebody gets killed, so somebody gets killed. They don’t care. Family don’t mean anything to them. They breed like animals. Fathers, mothers, that don’t mean anything. Oh sure, there are some good things about ’em. Look, I’m the first one to say that. I’ve known some who were OK, but that’s the exception.
9TH JUROR: Do you know you’re a sick man?
10TH JUROR: Sick?
9TH JUROR: Why don’t you sit down?
10TH JUROR: You old son of a bitch! Who the hell are you?
The 6TH JUROR moves toward the 9TH JUROR.
The 12TH JUROR steps between the 9TH and 10TH JURORS.
[To the 12TH JUROR.] No. Who the hell is he to tell me that? Sick. Look at him—he can hardly stand up. Listen, I’m speaking my piece here and you’re gonna listen.
The 9TH JUROR moves to the window.
12TH JUROR: Maybe if you just quieted down.
10TH JUROR: I will like hell quiet down. There is not one of them, not one who’s any good. Now, d’you hear that? Not one. Now let me lay this out for you—ignorant—bastards. [To the 9TH JUROR.] You at the window, you’re so goddamned smart. We’re facing a danger here. Don’t you know it? These people are multiply
6TH JUROR: Ah, shut up!
10TH JUROR: Now you goddamned geniuses had better listen to me. They’re violent, they’re vicious, they’re ignorant, and they will cut us up. That’s their intent. To cut us up. [To the 7TH JUROR.] I’m warning you. This boy, this boy on trial here. We’ve got him. That’s one at least. I say get him before his kind gets us. I don’t give a goddamn about the law. Why should I? They don’t. Now I’m telling you.
2ND JUROR: I’ve heard enough. Now you just stop all this.
10TH JUROR [looking angrily at the 2ND JUROR]: How would you like me to cave your head in for you, you smart little bastard? Where the hell do you get the gall… ?
The 4TH JUROR steps in front of the 10TH JUROR and stops him firmly.
4TH JUROR: We’ve heard enough. Sit down. And don’t open your filthy mouth again.
The 4TH and 10TH JURORS stare at each other. Finally, the 10TH JUROR turns away, crosses to a chair and sits with his back to the others. The other JURORS [including the 5TH and 11TH JURORS] slowly cross to their seats.
8TH JUROR: It’s very hard to keep personal prejudice out of a thing like this. And no matter where you run into it, prejudice obscures the truth. Well, I don’t think any real damage has been done here. Because I don’t really know what the truth is. No one ever will, I suppose. Nine of us now seem to feel that the defendant is innocent, but we’re just gambling on probabilities. We may be wrong. We may be trying to return a guilty man to the community. No one can really know. But we have a reasonable doubt, and this is a safeguard that has enormous value in our system. No jury can declare a man guilty unless it’s sure. We nine can’t understand how you three are still so sure. Maybe you can tell us.
4TH JUROR: I’ll try. You’ve made some excellent points. The last one, in which you argued that the boy wouldn’t have made the kind of overhand stab wound that killed his father, was very persuasive. But I still believe the boy is guilty of murder. I have two reasons. One: the evidence given by the woman across the street who actually saw the murder committed.