Mark+Robinson+and+Kelly+Reed

Creating a Dialogue For this assignment we have chosen to write a script, using the pre-existing show “Law and Order: Special Victims Unit” and its characters to simulate parts of a court case. Elliot and Olivia are both detectives, Zierko is the defense attorney, Casey Novak is the city’s Assistant District Attorney, and Judge Hobbs, is our own creation. The script is laid out much like the real Law and Order show, which cuts to black screens between scenes to explain the show’s current location, which are the same as each scenes slug line. The script we’ve composed touches on the following three themes/quotes which we discussed in class: First “Play fighting can turn into real fighting.” (Jones, p. 69) this segment of a quote, “Movies and TV shows create mental templates.” (Jones, p. 51); Also how detrimental any media experience can be if there is a lack of constructive adult attention, which is the reverse of this quote, “How beneficial any media experience can be in the context of constructive adult attention.” (Jones, p. 8) LAW AND ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT, EPISODE 243, “VIOLENCE” ** INT. COURTHOUSE- JUDGE HOBBS’ CHAMBER- DAY ** Novak and Zierko address the judge. Novak is enraged that Zierko is attempting to plea temporary insanity, practically yelling at Zierko defends his plead to Novak and the judge. ** NOVAK ** (Speaking to Zierko) You’re going with an insanity plea? ** ZIERKO ** Yes! Judge, my client averages over fifty hours a week playing violent video games, unaware of the dire effect they are having on his brain functions. Many studies have linked the overuse of violent video games to aggression in kids his age. (Zierko turns towards Casey for rest of dialogue) He can barely remember the incident, Casey! He was motivated by nothing other than the violence and the sheer free feeling he experiences while killing people in these games. He cannot be held responsible for this; he didn’t know what he was doing! ** JUDGE HOBBS ** (Angry and exhausted with the lawyers continuous arguments) That’s enough! The plea stands, I’ll see you both in court bright and early. ** INT. DISTRICT 25- BULLPEN- AFTERNOON ** Novak enters the Bullpen (downtrodden), and immediately begins telling Elliot and Olivia the bad news about the defendant’s insanity plea being allowed in court. Elliot in a rage knocks over a stack of papers. ** ELLIOT ** (Pushes stack of papers off desk in rage) Are you kidding me! ** OLIVIA ** (Perched on desk, facing Novak, barely fazed by Elliot’s outrage speaks to Novak) How could Judge Hobbs accept that? The kid had full recollection during our interviews, he said everything possible without actually confessing! ** NOVAK ** (Looking from Elliot to Olivia and back, while pacing back and forth in front of desk) Yes, and normally I would commend you guys on the revealing interviews, but since Elliot interrogated him without a parent present, none of that is admissible in court. We basically got nothing out of the whole ordeal. ** COURTOOM, TRIAL PART 1- STATE OF NEW YORK VS. JAMES WALDORF ** Novak addresses the court in her opening statement, followed by the defense, Zierko. ** NOVAK ** (Starts behind counsel’s desk, addressing jury throughout entire speech, begins walking in front of desk facing jury, in calm voice) We’ve brought you here today to be the deciding factor in our attempts to defend a human life. Susan Hanks a.k.a Candy, may be what society labels a hooker, but does that make her any less deserving of human rights?... The answer is, No. The New York State Crimes Code specifically protects a person’s right to life. (Slight pause) Right to life. I would think that a persons right to live is something that need not even be written down… but I guess our being here today proves the necessity to command such laws. ** JAMES ** (Hunched over sitting behind defendants desk, mutters slightly under his breath) Some people don’t deserve life. ** JUDGE HOBBS ** (Spoken in an irritated, yet also slightly raised voice) Young man, silence! Novak pauses slightly turning to face James during his interruption, then redirects her gaze back to the jury to continue. ** NOVAK ** So consequently, we obey James Waldorf’s constitutional right to trial by jury. This means, his fate, and this woman’s retribution are in your hands… (From here on, she starts speaking calmly and slowly picks up through the speech, getting more enthralled in her words) Now the defense is going to tell you tales, stating that James and his friends were unaware of the consequences that their actions had. They’re going to argue that violent video games are to blame for this horrible incident; that the games have warped his brain into a state that no longer allows him to make conscious, morally right decisions. But that is not the truth, and I am here today to prove this to you… (Novak points to Waldorf as she speak of him, while still fixing her gaze remains on the jury) James Waldorf and his friends were very aware of their actions when they decided to illegally obtain alcohol, participate in underage drinking, steal the keys to his father’s car, take a joy ride through Queens and attempt to pick up a hooker, only to get enraged when she turned them down, and subsequently commit first-degree murder, speeding towards Susan so fast, she didn’t stand a chance. ** JAMES ** (Interrupts Novak, and speaks in a conceited, smug voice) Yeah that’s right, she said no. The whore refused to do her job, the only thing she was meant to do. Some people like her are meant to solely wait on others and yet she felt she was too good to do that! So, just like the game, we ended her life. If she wasn’t going to submit to us, then there’s no reason she should exist. We did the world a favor, getting rid of some of its scum! ** ZIERKO ** (Nearly pleading) James, stop. Please! ** JUDGE HOBBS ** Really young man, help yourself and stop talking. Novak smirking slightly, upon realizing that James’ outburst at this point could only help her case, quickly turns back to the jury to continue her opening statement. ** NOVAK ** (First few words spoken hesitantly, then speech quickens) Yet, they didn’t stop there. After realizing that she was in fact still conscious, all three of them got out of the car, ran down the block and proceeded to brutally beat her. Kicking her abdomen, whipping her with their belts, and spitting upon her, fully aware of the damage they were doing as the life slowly and painfully left her body… (Speech slows, Novak clearly affected by the recalling of the events) So, please listen closely, in the following days. We are placing our trust in you to ultimately make the right decision, and take this murderer off our streets. ** ZIERKO ** (As he stands, buttons one button of suit jacket. Starts behind counsel’s desk, addressing jury throughout entire speech, begins walking in front of desk facing jury, in calm voice) Ms. Novak was polite enough to explain to you almost exactly what happened that night in Queens. (Speech picks up through descriptions) The joy ride, the underage drinking, and the beating, but what she failed to mention was my client’s state of mind… James Waldorf averages over (drawn out) fifty hours per week of violent video game play. When he is not playing video games, he is in school clubs where he spends even more hours discussing these games. He puts off schoolwork, and fakes sick to stay home from school and complete the newest challenge in the most recent Grand Theft Auto release, GTA Los Angeles. If he is not playing this game or discussing it with friends he is reading comic books, or watching movies riddled with even more violence. All together that is over (drawn out) seventy-five hours a week that this young man spends surrounded by violence. With his parents absent from his life, on never ending business trips, James, being beyond the acceptable age to have a nanny has had barely any parental guidance in his life… ** JAMES ** (Lunging forward in his seat, James yells) Screw that! I don’t need them. Judge Hobbs, extremely angered with the level of disrespect James is exhibiting quickly responds in a raised voice. ** JUDGE HOBBS ** Seriously young man, one more outburst and I will find you in contempt of court! James huffs and slumps back in his chair. Zierko’s head falls, as he is embarrassed and angered by his client's constant outbursts. He then continues. ** ZIERKO ** (He speak slowly to add emphasis) He has no one to dictate to him right from wrong or discipline him when he acts inappropriately. So with nothing else to reference, he turns to his video games. Games that reward a player for stealing cars, beating women, and pummeling them to the ground. Is it any wonder where he got this idea? In fact, the crime plays out almost to the tee, how it would in the newest Grand Theft Auto installation. (Pause for dramatic effect, and then Zierko looks directly at jurors as he speaks, gripping jurors’ railing) I urge you listen to the upcoming testimonies, so that you can hear the scientific evidence which provides proof that James (points to James, while still looking at jurors) was not of sound mind when he participated in this heinous act. It’s blatantly clear in just his statements so far, that, years of constant exposure to media violence, through his favorite comic books, movies and video games such a Grand Theft Auto, have altered the wiring of James’s brain, to the point where he believes that this is an acceptable reality. He doesn’t understand that what he did is wrong, and therefore he should not be held responsible for it. This child needs around the clock psychological help, not prison time. ** COURTROOM, TRIAL PART 13- STATE OF NEW YORK VS. JAMES WALDORF ** Judge Hobbs addresses the Jury to find their concluding verdicts ** JUDGE HOBBS ** Has the jury reached a verdict? ** JURY SEAT 1 ** We have your honor. ** JUDGE HOBBS ** On the count of murder in the first degree, how do you find the defendant? ** JURY SEAT 1 ** Your honor, we find the defendant… ** DISTRICT 25- BULLPEN ** Back at the bullpen, Olivia and Elliot console Novak on the trials tough ending. ** ELLIOT ** (Full of anger) Six to twelve for involuntary manslaughter, aggravated assault and reckless endangerment, under psychiatric advisement, I don’t believe it! ** OLIVIA ** (Walks to Novak, places hand on shoulder in attempt to console her) Casey, you had a solid case, if there had been a few less parents on the juror’s panel we would have won. ** NOVAK ** (Saddened with jury’s outcome) Yeah, but unfortunately no parent wants to believe that their child is capable of intended murder, let alone be told their lack of parenting is the cause of it. It’s just easier to blame violent media, because it’s everywhere, and most parents are too scared to embrace the mollifying benefits it could have for their child. Still it’s upsetting that it was a unanimous jury decision. I guess those parents were just really convincing. Work Cited 1. Directors. Baer, Neal. Jankowski, Peter. Kotcheff, Ted. Wolf, Dick. (1999-2011.) //Law and order: Special victims unit.// New York. NBC. 2. Jones, Gerard. (2002). //Killing monsters: Why children need fantasy, superheroes and make believe violence.// New York: Basic.