A Man's Struggle with Justice and Loss
Joe Wilson:
Your honor, I am Joseph Wilson.
Court Bailiff:
Keep your seat!
Judge Daniel Hopkins:
Go on.
Joe Wilson:
I know that by coming here, I saved the lives of these 22 people, but that isn't why I'm here. I don't care anything about saving them. They're murderers. I know the law says they're not because I'm still alive, but that's not their fault. And the law doesn't know that a lot of things that were very important to me, silly things maybe, like a belief in justice, and an idea that men were civilized, and a feeling of pride that this country of mine was different from all others. The law doesn't know that those things were burned to death within me that night. I came here today for my own sake. I couldn't stand it anymore. I couldn't stop thinking about them with every step and every breath I took, and I didn't believe Katherine when she said... Katherine is the young lady who was going to marry me. Maybe someday after I've paid for what I did, they'll be a chance to begin again, and then maybe Katherine and I...
Katherine Grant:
Joe.
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
Questioning Witness Identification in Court Proceedings
District Attorney: [after several witnesses have lied on the stand]
I wonder if I haven't been calling the defense witnesses by mistake.
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
Consequences of Actions and Their Impact
Katherine Grant: [to Joe]
If those people die, Joe Wilson dies too; you know that, don't you? Wherever you go, whatever you do.
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
A Gift of Motivation and Memory
Joe Wilson:
I got you a little momentum." (He meant memento.)
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
Justice Through Legal Means
Joe Wilson:
I'll give them a chance that they didn't give me. They will get a legal trial in a legal courtroom. They will have a legal judge and a legal defense. They will get a legal sentence and a legal death.
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
The Mob Lacks Independent Thought
Joe Wilson:
The mob doesn't think. It has no mind of its own.
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
