19 Nocturne Boulevard
Julie Hoverson
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19 Nocturne Boulevard reissue of the week: MURDER WARD
[NOTE: Outdated and non-PC terminology regarding mental issues] Written and produced by Julie Hoverson "Not guilty by reason of insanity" sounds like an easy out to murderer Edmund - but when he checks into Dr. Larson's mental hospital, he gets much more than he bargained for. Cast List Edmund/Achilles - Kim Turner Preacher Ronald - Pat McNally Rose Connelly - Joy Jackson Hector - Cole Hornaday Dr. Larson - Marge Lutton Terrance - Greg Porter Lawyer - Sigmund Hoverson Ape man - Reynaud LeBoeuf District Attorney - Melinda Mains Also heard - Julie Hoverson Music: Kevin MacLeod (Incompetech.com) Editing and Sound: Julie Hoverson Sound effects found on Soundsnap.com Cover Photos: Front - Witek Burkiewicz (via Stock Xchange.com) "What kind of a place is it? Why, it's an insane asylum - can't you tell? Where else would you find... a murderer?" ************************************************************************ MURDER WARD Cast: OLIVIA, the host EDMUND Rafelsen (M/30s) - evil alter ego "Achilles" RUDY Horton, Esq. (M/50s) - Edmund's lawyer TERRANCE (M/20s) - the guard ROSE Connelly (F/20s) - paranoid, hears voices HECTOR Wilson (M/20s) - phobic, fears women RONALD Tomlinson (M/40s) - believes he's obeying god VINCENT (M/any) - frightening, violently crazy DOCTOR Sara LARSON (F/40s) - psychiatrist CROWD, GIRL, MOM, KID - any voices DISTRICT ATTORNEY - District Attorney OLIVIA Did you have any trouble finding it? What do you mean, what kind of a place is it? Why, it's an insane asylum, can't you tell? Where else would you find ...a murderer? MUSIC OLIVIA [voice over] "Not guilty by reason of insanity". A legal defense, often misused to try and get a lighter sentence for a heinous crime. And what does it really mean? In a nutshell-- SCENE 1. OFFICE RUDY --it means at the time you did what you did, you didn't - couldn't - understand what you were doing was wrong. It's a tough sell, Ed. No matter what the movies make out, most juries just don't believe-- EDMUND [cultured voice] Mr. Horton, I would prefer that you address me directly when you speak to me. RUDY Ed, this isn't funny. EDMUND There is no "Ed" here. Edmund, however, is sleeping. Mr. Horton, if you cannot bring yourself to use my name, at least-- RUDY OK, look-- SOUND rustling paper RUDY [disapproving] --Achilles - I-- EDMUND And I am not insane. Nor is Edmund. I knew perfectly well what I did was wrong. All those pretty little women. I was really doing them a favor. The world is so harsh. RUDY I-- Look, Achilles, let me talk to Ed for a while. It's his name on the docket, after all. EDMUND Very well. I shall rouse him for you. [voice changes to more lower class - after this, he speaks as Ed any time not otherwise noted] Yeah? What is it shyster? Hey! Why's my cigarette all burned down all of a sudden? MUSIC SCENE 2. COURTROOM crowd [MURMURS] SOUND gavel DOCTOR Larson Ahem. As I said, after a thorough examination, I have concluded that while Edmund is nominally the dominant persona, his alter ego Achilles was the one who actually committed... [fade out] MUSIC SCENE 3. ASYLUM HALLWAY sound footsteps on tile. jingle of keys TERRANCE Guess you think you're lucky, eh? SOUND door unlocks EDMUND And why's that? SOUND door opens inmates [AD LIB, MURMURS "IN CHARACTER" see monologues at end] EDMUND What the--? TERRANCE Your new pals, bub. As I was saying, I guess you THINK you're lucky, getting off without the death penalty and all. Come on. SOUND slow footsteps EDMUND Look mac, I thought I was gonna have a private room-- TERRANCE These are the induction cells. Once the Doc gets a handle on your syko-sees, she'll move you to someplace appropriate. EDMUND She? SOUND footsteps stop TERRANCE Sure. You saw her at your trial - Doctor Larson. She's got some big-brain new ideas about how ta deal with luniacks like yourself. SOUND keys JINGLE. TERRANCE Your room, misshur. SOUND cell unlocks, DOOR opens. EDMUND But, but there's a DAME in here. Ain't we supposed to be-- TERRANCE Funny thing about that. Dames go off the pier too. And we're overbooked in that department. She probly won't be here long. Besides, she's waaaay over there. She can't hurt you. SOUND footsteps HECTOR [fading in - urgent milktoast] --he's right. She shouldn't be in here. You don't understand the damage they can do. [fading] Women are-- RONALD [fading in, hissing whispers] ‑‑have new instructions. It is time for you to let me go. HE has declared it. [fading] My presence is required-- SOUND footsteps end, jingle of keys ROSE [fading in] --staring at me. Are you sure they can't get out? Please, would you check the locks again? [fading] I'm so afraid-- SOUND door opens and shuts. inmates [MOMENT OF SILENCE] ROSE [sigh] RONALD [normal, husky voice] Hey. New guy. Got any smokes? EDMUND What? RONALD Smokes. EDMUND Even if I did, they wouldn't let us have any matches, would they? ROSE [hard dame] Who are you kidding? You can get pretty much anything in here, just as long as you know who to ask. And HOW to ask it. EDMUND Funny, you sounded crazy a minute ago. ROSE [snort] Yeah, well. We all have our bad days... [raising voice slightly] And some never have good days, right Heck? HECTOR Wicked Jezebel. You shouldn't be here. ROSE [to Edmund] We're pretty sure that Hector there is the real McCoy. RONALD Now, now. We're ALL nuts. We must keep that in mind. ROSE Yeah, but THAT guy - he just never lets up! EDMUND But if you ain't crazy-- RONALD [chuckles] Court says we are. Even with moments of lucidity, well-- What can they do? EDMUND What if they're listening? Recording, maybe? ROSE I thought I was the one with the persecution complex. RONALD I've been trying to catch them for over a month. Nothing doing. They're just not interested. Besides, once the jury brings down the verdict, the court has to keep you locked you up until they cure you. ROSE OR you give up and confess. RONALD Oh, sure. [sarcastic] I'll just admit it was all phony, take my lumps and go to the Chair! EDMUND What if one of you decides to squeal? ROSE [laughs] Who'd take the word of a head case? HECTOR If you try and spit your fiendish poison at me, fiend, I shall find a way to defend myself! rose [disgusted sigh] I am real sick of him. RONALD He probably had a bad mother. ROSE Yeah? Well who didn't? EDMUND The guard said I'd only be in here for a little while-- RONALD Yeah. Us too. I've now been here for two months, and Rose-- ROSE Rose Connelly, p'raps you hearda me? EDMUND YOU'RE Rose Connelly? rose [pleased] Yeah. The one and only. My sister's got a scrapbook of clippings for me. She can't bring them, but she tells me all about them when she visits. RONALD Rose's been here about three weeks. Since her sentencing. EDMUND And Romeo over there? ROSE Hah! Cute. Two incredibly long days. EDMUND And...this is it? RONALD What? EDMUND This is what we get? I mean, in prison they at least get some kind of exercise and stuff. Geneva convention, and all that. ROSE Ah, it's just temporary. I guess the loony bins are all booked up right now. [giggles] Say, maybe there's a convention in town. RONALD Don't worry. We get to talk to the Doc each day, regular as clockwork. She's a sweetheart, but I bet Hector isn't making any improvements. HECTOR [matter of fact] Doctor? She's the devil! I refuse to give her the satisfaction of a single word. ROSE [derisive] "Doctor," hah! She's the one that let me get myself in here. I thought it would be real tough to fool a head shrinker, but boy was she a pushover. Always so sympathetic. So understanding. She don't deserve to be a nurse, let alone a doctor. RONALD Funny, she testified at my trial too. Hmm. Guess we both got lucky. EDMUND [absently] Yeah. Lucky. MUSIC SCENE 4. DOCTOR'S OFFICE DOCTOR Larson Edmund, I can't help you if you refuse to cooperate. EDMUND [as Achilles] I am trying my utmost, madam, but he simply refuses to converse with you. DOCTOR Larson [not batting an eye] Then let's you and I talk, Achilles. You claim that the killing was-- EDMUND [as Achilles] Killings. Let us be precise. Mercy killings, actually. [fading] I felt so kindly‑‑ MUSIC SCENE 5. CELL HALLWAY SOUND SNORING from all inmates SOUND scritching, like a mouse trying to bore through wood EDMUND [snores, then wakes, frightened] Ah! ah! What? [NOTE LOW VOICES] RONALD Shh. You'll wake the neighbors. EDMUND What was that? But that noise - it's-- RONALD I know. We call him Mortimer. EDMUND This place has mice? RONALD We haven't seen him, so we're not sure what particular type of rodentia he is, but we sure hear him. Particularly when it's quiet. EDMUND But how can I get any sleep--? RONALD You get used to it. We all get used to lots of things. HECTOR [coming awake with a scream] Aaagh! Off me, you fiend from hell! No! No! [goes on incoherently] ROSE [Wakes with a whimper] [NOTE VOICES NORMAL] EDMUND That'll take some getting used to. RONALD Yeah. MUSIC SCENE 6. D
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