Have you reached a verdict?
Yes, we have, my lord.
- [Judge] How do you find the defendants? - Guilty as charged.
[Crowd Cheering]
- [Man] Hang the Irish bastards! - [Gavel Pounding]
[Judge] Order! Silence!
- [Cheering Continues] - [Man] String 'em up!
[Crowd Quiets Down]
Gerard Patrick Conlon.
[Officer] Stand up.
I feel it is my duty to wonder aloud...
why you were not charged with treason to the Crown,
a charge that carries a penalty of death by hanging.
A sentence I would have had no difficulty in passing...
in this case.
I sentence you to life imprisonment...
and I instruct that you shall serve...
a minimum of 30 years.
Take him down.
Help me.
[Judge] Paul Michael Hill.
In my view, your crime is such that life...
- shall mean life. - [Sobbing]
Annie Maguire. I recommend you serve 14 years!
- What have I done, for Christ's sake? - Take her down!
- Guiseppe Conlon, 12 years. - No, my husband's innocent!
- Lord have mercy on you. - Patrick Joseph Armstrong, 30 years.
Carole Richardson, 30 years.
[Carole Screaming, Sobbing]
[Screaming, Sobbing Continue]
[Exhales]
[Gerry Narrating] Our case was so insane that if you made it up, no one would believe it.
Look, Gareth, I know people say that I'm a compulsive storyteller,
and nobody believed a word I said in court, but Charlie Burke did exist.
He's not just a figment of my imagination.
[Chattering]
Sorry.
[Scraping]
[Narrating] We were shipped off to Park Royal Prison.
An old Victorian fortress where Britain's most dangerous criminals were held...
in the maximum security wing.
- [Officer] Place of birth. - Belfast.
- Then you're British. - This is your home for the rest of your life.
So accept it and get on with it. Now come this way.
[Narrating] The chief warder, Barker, gave us blue denim uniforms with yellow stripes.
We were Category "A", the highest security class along with the rapists and murderers.
My father said we'd fight for an appeal, but I didn't want to know about the legal system.
- [Prisoners Chattering] - I'm goin' back to the cell.
Come on, follow me.
[Chattering Stops]
Come on, Gerry.
Hey, Ronnie. There's those Irish bastards, Ronnie.
Irish scum.
My name's Guiseppe Conlon. I'm an innocent man. So is my son.
- We shouldn't even be in here. - Get that fucking scum off my floor.
[Prisoners Yelling]
[Officer] I said knock it off!
[Yelling Continues]
- They must know they've made a mistake. - [Guiseppe] No they don't.
The proof of our innocence must be there in the evidence.
We have to fight 'em to get an appeal.
I'll speak to Father Wilson.
Speak to everybody. We'll write letters from in here. Start a campaign.
- Have they been treatin' you all right? - We're fine. Fine.
Have they, son?
Aye. No problem.
[Chattering]
[Mutters]
[P.A.] Landing officers on the two's for exercise.
Forgot the dessert spoons.
There you go.
Mmm.
These chips are not bad.
Now don't you despair, son.
- Never mind about "don't despair." - What?
I mean, we're innocent, we can't even go out of the cell.
You're better off being guilty. At least you get some respect.
[P.A.] Landing officers on the three's for exercise.
Here, you can have my chips.
[P.A.] Landing officers on the three's for exercise.
[Prisoners Chattering]
Gerry, man. Come. You all right?
How you like your new home?
[Dixon] Bombing of pillar box Kensington High Street.
Bombing of pillar box Talbot Lodge. Bombing of naval club.
Bombing of Aldershot Railway Station. Attempted murder of Edward Heath.
Murder of Ross McWhirter. Possession of firearms,
Balcombe Street, December 6, 1975.
And the Guildford pub bombings.
You have innocent people in jail for that.
- [Dixon] Take him out. - [Sighs]
He did it.
- [Gerry] Where's all the missin' pieces? - [Laughing]
We eat it up, man.
[Chuckling] Before my woman sent it in here, right,
she have it dipped in liquid acid.
L.S.D., man.
We've been dropping the British Empire for the last six months.
You want to fly? Pick a country.
Fuck sake, don't give me Northern Ireland. I don't want a bad trip.
Try Nepal, man. Take you to the Himalayas.
[Prisoners Laughing]
## [Reggae]
# I wanna love you #
- [Laughter Continues] - # And treat you right #
- # I wanna love you # - See the dragon.
# Every day and every night #
# We'll be together #
# With a roof right over our heads #
# I wanna love ya #
# Every day and every night #
- [Men Laughing] - # We'll be together #
# With a roof right over our heads ##
[P.A.] Lights out in 15 minutes, 15 minutes.
[Door Closes]
Are you praying for the seventh cavalry?
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for our sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
- ## [Humming Cavalry Charge] - That's not funny, Gerry.
Hail Mary... full of grace... the Lord is with thee.
[Humming, Laughing Continues]
Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
[Hysterical Laughter]
Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for our sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.
- ## [Humming Continues] - Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit...
Are you on drugs?
[Laughter Continues]
[Officer Shouting]
Look, Da, I'll be older than you are now when I get out of this place.
If I get out.
Are you listenin' to me?
I'm not talkin' to you.
Now who's bein' childish?
I haven't had a sensible word out of you for two weeks.
That stuff'll kill you.
Sure, I'm dead anyway.
Look, I'm sorry. I'll not take it again so long as you live.
Are you happy now?
No.
Why not?
I don't want you to take it whether I live or die.
[Sighs] Jesus Christ.
All right, I'll do nothin' to annoy you in your grave.
Now are you happy?
Is that a promise?
Aye.
Maybe.
Gerry, man. Check out your friend.
He look like the real thing.
[Officer] Come on.
- Excuse me. - All right.
Let's have a talk.
We have to eat in our cells.
See ya later.
Gerry. Gerry, come on.
Morning, paddy.
- [Groans] - [Grunts]
[Whispers] Yes!
- [Prisoners Yelling] - [Alarm Ringing]
[Shouting]
Come on!
Yes, man, Gerry!
[Screams]
This one, this one, this one, 14 days solitary! Lock up!
- Lock up! - He'll be all right. He'll be back in a couple of days.
[Man Screaming]
- Christ! - Come on. Come on.
I'm worried about Bridie.
Why?
She's dyed her hair blond.
Well, she's only young.
She's wearin' a dog collar.
There's a fella chained to it; he's got one on too.
Well...
as long as she's happy.
[Doors Slamming Shut]
Lunch break.
[Man] Yes!
Yes, Gerry, man. That's right, Gerry's a bad boy!
Put the Englishman under heavy, heavy manners.
Yes, sir. Go on, boy. Kick out them clods, yes?
- This is Joe McAndrew. He has somethin' important to tell you. - Hello, Mr. Conlon.
[Coughing]
I'm watchin' you.
[Heavy Sighing] What is it?
I'm the one who planted the Guildford bomb, Mr. Conlon.
Did you tell the police that?
Yes, I did.
- But we haven't heard a thing. - See what he has to say, Da.
[Sighs] Go on.
I told them. They know. They know the truth.
They can't afford to face it. It's a war.
You're one of its innocent victims. I'm sorry for your trouble.
Don't be sorry for us. You should be sorry for the people you killed.
[Sighs] It was a military target. A soldier's pub.
They were innocent people. God's children.
Look, I'll do all I can... to help you while you're in here.
Well, we don't need your help.
I'd appreciate it if you'd leave us alone.
Whatever you say.
I'll talk to him. Sorry about that.
- [Door Opens, Closes] - [Prisoners Yelling]
What was that all about? You mind your fuckin' manners.
What? Manners to him? I don't want any part of him, or his ways.
At least he fights back. Which is more than you ever did in your life.
- What are you talkin' about? - Do you remember Lydon hill?
You used to ride me up on your bike up Lydon hill.
And then one day you couldn't make it to the top and I hopped off and looked back.
Your face was all red. Remember that?
Aye.
- It was workin' in the paint shed done that to you. - What?
It was the fumes from workin' in the paint shed done that to ya.
Never mind jumpin' off the ferry, swimmin' back to Mammy.
It was the one job a Catholic can get, and you wouldn't even fight back then.
Go on outside. Play with your newfound friend.
All I'm sayin' is that you've been a victim. It's time you started to fight back.
- Get out of my sight. - I'm goin'.
[Dixon] This is the only way it'll work. We have no alternatives.
- Well, what are you doin'? - Nothing.
- They didn't do it. - They all did it.
[Door Slams]
I'm goin' back to Belfast.
[Gerry Narrating] After the fight, nobody stopped us goin' to the yard to exercise.
I felt brilliant. Joe explained things to me;
how the Brits never left anywhere without a fight;
how they had to be beaten out of every country they ever occupied.
How this prison was just an extension of their system.
[P.A.] Calling for work on three's.
- We had to confront the chief prison officer, Barker. - Mr. Smalls.
But to do that, we had to take care of Ronnie Smalls.
Can I have a word about 54 Halsey Road?
Take a walk.
If anything happens to me, or Gerry,
or any other Irish prisoner,
we'll have 54 Halsey Road blown to smithereens...
with your family in it.
You threaten my family, I'll cut your fuckin' head off.
I don't make threats.
I just carry out orders. I don't want to hurt your family.
[Chuckles] Your trouble is, Joe, you want to rule the fuckin' world.
Paddy's all right.
[Gerry Narrating] Soon, we were all one happy family.
- [Bumping] - Again!
- Even Kojak was ready to forgive. - Live and let live.
- Barker began to panic. - Pay him a visit.
Told us to take our socks out of the window. He thought we were signaling to other prisoners.
We're not signalin'. We're dryin' our socks out.
- Take the socks out. Mr. Barker. - Who says?
- [Narrating] That was all the excuse Joe needed. - Give us two minutes.
- Eh, up and away we went. - Are you with me?
- What's he up to now? - [Prisoners Screaming]
All prison officers to vacate the wing.
All officers vacate the wing!
[Screaming Continues]
Oh, this'll damage the whole campaign.
- Look, you do it your way, and we'll do it ours. - You can read our demands.
Go back to your cells.
- Blankets! - For God's sake, put a stop to this.
- You're weakening my position. - It'll end in violence.
- Good. - What's good about it?
- It's all they understand. - ## [Folk]
[Gerry Narrating] Barker refused to negotiate.
But with the screws gone, we'd a brief taste of freedom.
Check out Ronnie.
Him swallow half Africa.
- [Chuckling] - I give him about an hour.
[Gerry Narrating] We found out later our protest got on TV.
And that's when the riot squad was ordered in.
Shhh.
- Shh. Shh. - [Boots Stomping]
[Gerry Narrating] We were singled out as the ringleaders.
Now!
[Yelling]
Oh, my god. Get me out!
Get down! Get down! Get down!
You just signed your own death warrant, Barker.
Are you happy now?
[Gerry Narrating] And then you arrived, Gareth.
That's the first time I saw you, under a raining shower of sparks.
It's the first time I'd seen a woman in five years, other than my mother.
But to me, you were a lawyer first. And I hated lawyers.
- Do you have a new isolation cell? - [Officer] Cartwright.
Barth, Andrew. Bailey, Benjamin. McAndrew.
- [Welders Welding Loudly] - Sorry. Can you... I can't hear.
O'Brien, John.
Lynch, Bernard. Crisp, Wesley.
Lyon, Richard. Burns, David.
- What about Conlon? Sorry. Guiseppe Conlon. - [Welding Stops]
[Barker] He's on the third floor.
He has difficulty getting down the stairs.
- Well, I'll just have to go up and see him then. - Delegation has seen enough.
Rightio, sorry. Well, I won't be a minute, so I'll just... Sorry. I just want to...
I won't be... I'll meet you outside, okay. Sorry.
- [Gasping] - Sorry, I can't...
- Pulmonary thrombosis. - Aha.
- You're getting medica... He's getting proper medication? Are you? Yes? - Aye.
[Gareth] Uh-huh.
[Gasping] Ger... Son? Gerry?
- That's... Is it Gerry? Uh-huh. - That's Gerry.
He's had a spot of bother with lawyers in the past.
[Door Slamming]
He's all yours. Fifteen minutes.
- Thank you. - Sit down.
You wanted to see me, Gerry?
[Opening Container]
[Spits]
Why are you givin' my father false hope?
Sorry?
He's been up and down these stairs every couple of weeks to see you.
He hasn't even seen my mother in six months.
Oh, I hear you're gettin' on very well with her, by the way.
Yes. She's a very brave woman.
Aye, you don't know the half of it.
The fuckin' stairs are killin' him.
It's not the stairs that are killing your father.
- What is it then? - It's your lack of faith.
Lack of faith? Faith in what?
- In yourself. - No... I have faith in myself.
Gerry Conlon, lifer, 30-year sentence.
And I know how to survive it, no problem.
At what price?
I'll pay the fuckin' price, don't you worry about it.
The price for what?
Aye. You're very good at the English, aren't you?
You see, I don't understand your language.
"Justice." "Mercy." "Clemency."
I literally don't understand what those words mean.
I'd like to put in an application to get all my teeth extracted.
That way I could put my fist in my mouth and never speak...
another word of fuckin' English so long as I live.
Do you see what I'm saying? Mrs. Peirce is it?
Are you trying to impress me?
- [Closing Container] - Visit's up.
Don't give my father false hope, all right?
- Gerry... - # Whoa-oh-oh-oh ##
You've got to help him!
[Gerry Narrating] In prison, you pray for anything to break the monotony.
A snowstorm is like a present from God.
Whoo!
- [Roaring] - Hey! Prison officers are not to be hit!
All right, you lot, you've asked for it.
Come along!
[Gerry Narrating] After the riot, my father's health deteriorated badly.
He couldn't make it down the stairs to enjoy the snow.
I waved up to him, but he was lookin' at somethin' else.
[Officer] All right, you lot!
- [Gerry Narrating] My da always saw the good in people. - Yes.
He recognized it in you the minute he saw you, Gareth.
[Prisoner] Guv, guv, where you goin'? Where's me letters? Guv'nor!
Thank you.
I see you've been mentioned in Congress, Guiseppe.
What's that?
How did you come by that name?
I... An Italian ice cream maker.
Had a shop on the corner of the street where I was born.
Guiseppe Fusco. My mother fell in love with the name.
Were they, um,
- you know. - What?
- Lovers. - Who?
My mother and the Italian ice cream maker?
[Laughing] Oh, no, God. Oh, Jesus, no. No, they were not.
No, she just liked the name.
But it made my life hell.
All the other children laughin' at ya.
You any kids yourself?
[McAndrew] He's talkin' to Barker now.
Forget it, Joe. He can talk to whoever he fuckin' likes.
Two.
Flown the nest now.
[Spits]
[Gerry Narrating] Whether Barker was responsible or not...
for bringin' in the riot squad, Joe never forgave him.
Joe was still at war.
And to him, Barker was the enemy.
- Number? - The name is McAndrew.
[Barker] Get out. Get outta the way. Get outta the light!
- [Officer] You're 149. - Get outta the light.
- Number? - Name's Gerry Conlon.
Piss off out the light. Get out the light!
You're 136.
There's someone sittin' there.
[O'Brien] Move when you're told.
Put it out.
## ["The Godfather Theme"]
## ["Theme" Continues]
- [Corleone] How's your boy? - [Michael] He's good.
You know, he looks more like you every day.
He's smarter than I am.
Three years old, he can read the funny papers.
[Prisoner] There's a hair in the fuckin' projector!
Yeah, get the fuckin' hair out of the projector,
- will ya? - Shh.
- Come on, get it out! Get it out! - Shh!
[Corleone] I want you to arrange to have a telephone man...
- check out all the calls that go in and out of here. - We're goin' fuckin' blind, guv.
- I did it already, Pop. I took care of that. - You know it could be anyone.
Oh, that's right. I forgot.
- We'll get there, Pop. - Quiet.
- I can't see a fuckin' thing. - Shh.
- You're blocking the shot. - Shut it.
[Corleone] Now, listen. Whoever comes to you...
with this Barzini meeting...
I knew that Santino was gonna have to go through all this.
And Fredo, well...
Fredo was wrong.
And I never... I never wanted this for you.
- [Corleone Indistinct] - For you!
[Barker Screams]
[Barker Screaming]
[Officer] Get down, mate! To the floor, mate! Get down!
[Screaming]
[Officer] Come on, mate, get a blanket! For God's sake, he's burning!
Barker! Move back! Move back, Barker!
Barker, move back! Get in there! Get the hell in there!
Get it out!
[Shuddering]
- Stretcher! - All right, let's turn his head around.
All right, mate. You're with us.
All right. Stretcher!
Gently, mate. All right, up!
- That was a good day's work, McAndrew. - Come on, move it, men!
- That was a good day's work. - Get away from me.
Will you not look me in the eye when I'm speakin' to you?
I know how to look at people without blinkin' as well.
In all my godforsaken life, I've never known...
what it was like to want to kill somebody until now.
Ah, you're a brave man, Joe. A brave man.
[Gerry] Gerard Conlon, back on the threes.
- Stand your ground. - Hawkins, returning to his cell.
Benjamin Bailey, back to him cell!
David Burns, returning to his cell.
7445, Casey, back to his cell.
6309, Johnston, level three.
Regis, 113, goin' up to number two.
[Prisoners Shouting Names And Numbers]
[Indistinct]
- [Officers] Back to your cell now! - Keep movin'.
[Gerry Narrating] Barker was maimed for life,
and Joe was sent to another prison.
He's in solitary confinement somewhere.
- [Blowing Whistle] - We've had no news of him since then.
The new chief screw had the yard painted,
and I was back walkin' in circles again.
Back to the cells.
[Chief] Come on. Move.
I'd like to help you out with the campaign, Da.
If that's all right with you.
Do you mean it?
- Aye. - Oh, that's great.
Okay, Gerry, what I need from you is the whole story, your whole story.
In as much detail as you can remember; every detail you can think of.
And I need you to write it down. It's really important.
[Groans]
[Sighs]
I can't do this.
I can't write this, Da.
Could your son not give you a hand?
- Nah, he's up in his cell writing away. - Okay.
Okay.
Tape recorder. You're a good talker. Talk.
[Gerry On Tape] The strange thing is...
The strange thing is sometimes I think he's a little jealous...
of me takin' over the campaign and that there.
Going up and down the stairs to meet you.
I mean, that's somethin' I never thought about Guiseppe: that he could be jealous.
Anyway, the main thing is to get the case reopened...
because I don't know how long he can survive in here.
[Sighs] I'm tired of this.
Come on, we have to do this. Come on. You behave yourself.
Get your head down.
When I was a wee lad, I used to wonder what you were doin' under the towel.
Then one day when you and Ma were out, I got a big bowl of boiling water,
whacked a big drop of Vick and then put the towel over my head.
I sat there trying to figure out what it was all about, and nothin' was happenin'.
And then I figured you must have been drinkin' it.
So I stuck my tongue in it. Do you remember that?
[Coughs] How could I forget?
And your tongue... swelled up like a football.
Had to rush you to the hospital.
First time you'd stopped talkin' in your life.
[Both Laughing]
- [Coughing] - Give us that.
- I'll do your chest for you, Da. - [Coughing]
[Deep Inhale, Exhale]
[Sighs]
Was I always bad, was I?
Not always.
I don't deserve to spend the rest of my life in here, do I?
All they've done is block out the light.
They can't block out the light in here.
Listen, every night...
I take your mother's hand in mine.
We go out the front door, into Cyprus Street,
down the Falls Road, up the Antrim Road...
to Cave Hill.
We look back down...
on poor, troubled Belfast.
I've been doin' that every night...
for five years now.
As if I never left your mother. [Chuckles]
What I remember most about my childhood is...
holdin' your hand.
My wee hand in your big hand.
And the smell of tobacco. I remember that...
I could smell the tobacco off the palm of your hand.
When I want to feel happy, I try to remember the smell of tobacco.
Hold my hand.
Oh, Da, get the fuck...
Now, don't go sentimental on me now.
Don't be upset, Da. Look, I'll hold your hand if you like.
I'm going to die.
Don't be sayin' that.
I'm scared.
You've no reason to be scared. Nothin' to be scared about.
Don't you be comfortin' me when I can see the truth starin' me in the face.
I'm scared I'm gonna die here... among strangers.
- You're not fuckin' dyin', all right? - Can I not say a thing...
- without you fuckin' contradictin' me? - [Sighs]
I'm scared to leave your mother... behind.
Look, you are not goin' to die, all right, Da?
And even if you do, I'm sure I can look after Ma all right.
You think I'd leave Sarah in your care?
What do you mean?
You haven't the maturity to take care of yourself, let alone your mother.
I haven't much time between appointments, Mrs. Peirce.
- How can I help you? - Thank you.
Um, I'm the solicitor for the Conlons, Chief Inspector.
Guiseppe Conlon is critically ill, as you may know.
I've petitioned before the court for his compassionate parole.
They want your clearance.
That'll be difficult, Mrs. Peirce.
These people have committed horrific crimes.
Society demands that they serve their time.
But they didn't do it, Chief Inspector.
- Says who? - Say the real bombers.
They told you they did it, Mr. Dixon.
Gerry Conlon told me he did it, Mrs. Peirce.
These people are liars.
They're liars for a cause, that's the worst kind.
But he's dying. Guiseppe's dying.
A lot of people are dying. It's a dirty war.
Well, I'll see what I can do.
Is this your family, Mr. Dixon?
That's my wife and my son.
You have another appointment.
Yes.
I'll see you again, Mr. Dixon.
[Snoring]
[Snoring Stops]
Are you all right, Da?
Da?
Are you all right?
Wake up, Da. Da?
Da, can you hear me? Can you hear me, Guiseppe?
Oh, fuck. Oh, come on, dear God in heaven, don't do this to me.
Come on, wake up. Wake up, for fuck sake, come on. Come on! Come on, wake up!
- [Gasping] - Oh, dear God, thank you. You're all right, Da.
You're all right. You're all right, Da. I'm goin' to get some help.
Number 73! Number 73! Please come quickly! My father's sick!
Benbay, Guiseppe's taken bad!
Da, Da, put your arms around me. I'm gettin' you out of the bed.
Come on, put your arms around me. That's it. Come on.
- [Alarm Beeping] - [Benbay] It's Conlon! Him not well at all!
- Open the fuckin' door! - [Benbay] Him number 73!
- Open the fuckin' door! - [Prisoners] Guiseppe! Guiseppe!
[Gerry] Fuck, he can't breathe. He can't fuckin' breathe!
- [Gasping] - He can't breathe! Look, my father's fuckin' dyin'!
- He needs oxygen! - [Prisoner] Give him a fuckin' break!
Open the fuckin' gate! I'm right here, Da.
- Get him in here! - What the fuck is goin' on?
[Officer] Stay where you are! Stay where you are.
Hammersmith Hospital now.
I want to go with him. Can I go with him, boss?
I've got to get clearance first. It's out of my hands.
You're gonna be all right, Da! I'll be with you...
- as soon as I can. - Take him back to his cell.
[Prisoners] Leave him alone, you bastards! Just let him be!
Stay strong, Gerry! Stay strong, mate!
Keep your chin up, mate!
- We're with you, Gerry! - Yeah, we're with you all the way, mate!
He's still awake.
Your father passed away an hour ago.
Thank you very much.
I'm sorry.
[Door Shutting]
Guiseppe is dead, man!
They kill Guiseppe!
[Benbay] Gerry, man!
Gerry!
They kill Guiseppe!
# Oh, your loss Oh, your loss #
# Oh, your loss ##
Well, I think they ought to take the word "compassion"...
out of the English dictionary.
They fouled the ball, Gareth.
They fouled the fuckin' ball, and they're as guilty as sin.
Believe me, if there's one thing I know about, it's guilt, you know?
Keep lookin' 'em in the eye, and it's gonna reveal itself.
You have to keep up the pressure.
Do what you have to do.
[Chanting] Free the Four! Free the Four! Free the Four! Free the Four!
Free the Four! Free the Four!
- ## [Radio] - [Grunting]
# As I was going over #
# The Cork and Kerry Mountains #
# I saw a captive... ## [Lowers Volume]
Those were meant to be here three weeks ago.
"The Parade of Innocence." What do you think?
[TV Announcer] Thousand of people lined the streets of Dublin,
London and Liverpool today in demonstrations...
demanding the release of the Guildford Four.
- Questions have been raised in the House of Commons... - Say good night to Daddy.
- regarding the safety... - Good night, Dad. - Good night, son.
Free the Four! Free the Four! Free the Four!
Free the Four!
Mr. Dixon! Excuse me. Mr. Dixon!
[Gareth, Crowd Shouting Indistinctly]
This was a mistake.
Why don't we let her see the files?
What harm could it do?
Mr. Dixon!
Don't you ever get tired of this sort of thing? What's that?
This is a court order that I be allowed to see the Guiseppe Conlon case files.
- Good morning. - There are a few rules to be observed.
Here's a complete list of the Conlon, Guiseppe case files;
the only files you'll need to see.
I'll go to the file drawer and bring it out.
You open it in front of me, take a page at a time, read it and then return it.
Sorry. Is there a problem, Mr. Dixon?
Problem? Not at all, Mrs. Peirce.
Our chief archivist, Mr. Jenkins, is here to assist you.
If you want to make a photocopy, I, and I alone, will do it.
- And you use this pen at all times for any notes. - Why?
If you deface or alter any document, we'll be able to trace it through the ink in this pen.
There are national security issues involved here, Mrs. Peirce.
We wouldn't want police intelligence files leaked to the I.R.A. now, would we?
- Conlon, Guiseppe file. - Yes, sir.
Might as well leave my kit on the bus, 'cause I'm not staying in your jail.
So, our new V.I.P. prisoner.
- Welcome to Scotland. - I'm an innocent man. My father was an innocent man.
He died in one of your jails. There's nothin' you can do to hurt me.
- They've moved me to a Scottish jail to break up my confidence. - Put him in solitary.
This is a peaceful protest. I'm not observin' prison rules.
- We'll teach you manners. - Better men than you have tried that already.
Your Honor, I have not seen my client for two months.
He's been moved to Scotland, which has seriously impeded my investigation into his case.
So I'm filing this motion to gain proper access...
[Protestors] Free the Four! Free the Four! Free the Four!
[Prisoners Cheering]
[Cheering Continues]
Here, thanks a lot then. Good day. Oh, thanks, thanks, thanks, thanks.
[Coughing]
[Sneezes Loudly]
Sorry.
Could you copy that for me, please?
Thank you.
[Sneezing, Sniffling]
[Gerry On Tape] I just want my mother to be happy.
Uhh, I'd like her to know that...
Guiseppe talked about her every day of his life.
He missed her terribly.
It's strange to be in a cell without him.
I can't seem to get his face out of my mind.
Everywhere I look, I see him.
Strange what time does when you're in prison.
Like, you can be staring at the wall.
Drip, drip, drip.
It takes an eternity.
And then you blink and three years have gone by.
I mean, what I'm tryin' to...
I don't know what the fuck I'm tryin' to say.
But I can't forget what they did to my family.
I just can't forget.
[Speaking Gibberish, Mimicking Tape In Fast-Forward Mode]
[Gibberish Continues]
- [Shouting] - Gerry! Gerry! Gerry!
- [Screaming] - Gerry, come on, take it easy.
[Screams, Panting]
Hang on, Gerry.
Morning.
- Where's Jenkins? - He telephoned in sick.
I'm afraid you're going to have to come back tomorrow.
No, no, I can't. I'm in court tomorrow. There's too much to get through.
- I can't help you. - Please, look, I've got a court order.
You saw what Mr. Jenkins did. He just brings me the files.
I take the notes and give them straight back to you. Please.
- What name is it? - Conlon.
- All right. - Thanks. Thank you very much. Cheers.
- What name was that again? - Conlon.
We've got two Conlon boxes. Is it Guiseppe Conlon or Gerard Conlon?
Gerard.
Well, that's for starters.
Fuck 'em! Fuck 'em!
It's good news, Gerry.
We're talkin' about a piece of evidence...
that says they knew all along that they let my father die in prison?
Would you mind tellin' me what's good about that, Gareth?
We'll get them in court.
"We'll get them in court"? For fuck sake, will you catch yourself on?
They've kept us in prison for 15 years. They can keep us in for another 15.
It's the fuckin' government, Gareth!
It's the fuckin' government! What are they gonna say?
"We're sorry about that."
"Made a wee bit of a mistake there, but you can be on your way now."
What are they gonna say? "Sorry we killed your da."
"Sorry we fucked your fuckin' life to hell." What are they gonna say?
Gerry.
I am not putting my mother through hell again.
Are you afraid of court?
Look, I just don't wanna be humiliated again.
[Sirens Blaring]
[Dixon] I swear by Almighty God, that the evidence I shall give...
shall be the truth, the whole truth...
and nothing but the truth.
Mr. Dixon, do you know these young people...
known as the Guildford Four?
Yes, I do.
Do you know how long they have spent in jail?
Fifteen years, I believe.
Do you know Annie Maguire...
who served her 14 years without remission?
Do you know her son Vincent who served five years?
Do you know her son Patrick who served four? Do you know her husband...
Paddy Maguire who served 12 years?
Carole Richardson was 17 when she went to jail, Mr. Dixon.
Now she is 32.
Do you know Carole Richardson?
- My Lord, what is the point of this? - Yes, come to the point.
Do you know who this is, Mr. Dixon?
No, I don't.
Well, then would you be so kind as to read the statement that you...
- took from him on the third of November, 1974? - Let's see this statement.
A statement, My Lord, which vindicates all of these people,
- all these innocent people. - My Lord, I need to see a copy of this statement.
Someone, either that man or his superior or his superior's superior,
ordered that these people be used as scapegoats...
- by a nation that was baying for blood... - Mrs. Peirce!
- My Lord! - in return for the innocent blood...
- spilled on the streets of Guildford! - [Man] Stop her!
- And, by God, you got your blood, Mr. Dixon! - This is a political speech!
- You got the blood of Guiseppe Conlon and Carole Richardson! - This is outrageous!
- You got 15 years of blood and sweat and pain from my client... - Mrs. Peirce, be silent!
- whose only crime was that he was bloody well Irish, - Silence in court!
and he was foolish, and he was in the wrong place at the wrong time!
Mrs. Peirce, I will have you removed from the court.
And one of your colleagues, My Lord,
who sat where you sit now said, and I quote, "It is a pity...
"you were not charged with treason to the Crown,
"a charge that carries a penalty of death by hanging,
a sentence I would have no difficulty in passing in this case."
Mrs. Peirce, I'm trying to read this document.
I will not tell you again to be silent,
or you will be removed from the court.
My Lord, this document brings the entire British legal system into disrepute.
My Lord, this is new evidence.
It is shocking new evidence.
My Lord, this evidence was not submitted at the trial that is under appeal.
That, I believe, is the point Mrs. Peirce is trying to make.
- Proceed, Mrs. Peirce. - My Lord, I demand a recess.
There will be no demands made in my court.
Stand back.
My Lord, this alibi for Gerry Conlon...
was taken by Mr. Dixon one month after Gerry Conlon was arrested.
This note was attached to it when I found it in police files.
It reads, "Not to be shown to the defense."
[Spectators Murmuring]
[Gareth] I have one question to ask you, Mr. Dixon.
Why was the alibi for Gerry Conlon,
who was charged with the murder of five innocent people,
kept from the defense?
[Murmuring]
- [Spectators] Give us an answer! - Answer the question!
- [Judge Pounding Gavel] Silence! - [Spectator] It's about time!
Order in the court!
My Lord, I would like to approach the bench.
- This is most irregular. - Yes, I'm aware of that.
Very well.
- Mr. Dixon, you may stand down. - [Gareth] No, no, no, My Lord!
My Lord, this is the man who should be under arrest!
[Judge Pounding Gavel] Be silent, Mrs. Peirce.
- This court is now in recess. - Guards, get ready.
Look, don't try and make me the fall guy for the whole British legal establishment.
If I accept this mercy deal... They have a flippin' cheek...
offerin' me mercy. They should be beggin' for mercy themselves.
- You ready, Mr. Conlon? - Aye. I know the difference between right and wrong.
- I know. - The truth has to come out. They may not want to hear it,
- but there's people outside who'll listen. - I know, son.
- Just think about it, will you? Just think about it. - All right.
Aye, give us three of those.
[Cheering]
Silence!
In the matter of Her Majesty versus Gerard Patrick Conlon,
the case is hereby dismissed.
[Wild Cheering]
- My husband died in your prison an innocent man! - Come on, Ma!
- I'm goin' out the front door. I'll see you outside. - Come on, Mr. Conlon.
- I'll see you outside. - Come on, sir. This way. Let's go.
- I'm going out the front door. - What about Guiseppe Conlon?
Your Honor, he was an innocent man!
- [Crowd Cheering] - [Officer] Come this way, sir.
- Mr. Conlon, sir, that's not a good idea. - Use the back, for security reasons.
I'm a free man, and I'm goin' out the front door.
- Get back! - [Judge] In the matter of Her Majesty...
versus Paul Hill, the case is hereby dismissed.
[Cheering]
Leave me alone! I'm goin' out the front door with Gerry!
In the matter of Her Majesty versus Patrick Armstrong,
- the case is hereby dismissed. - [Cheering]
In the matter of Her Majesty versus Carole Richardson,
the case is hereby dismissed.
I'm an innocent man! I spent 15 years in prison for somethin' I didn't do!
I watched my father die in a British prison for somethin' he didn't do!
And this government still says he's guilty!
I want to tell them that until my father is proved innocent,
until all the people involved in this case are proved innocent,
until the guilty ones are brought to justice,
I will fight on!
In the name of my father and of the truth!
[Cheering]
# I hope you're happy now #
# I could never make you so #
# You were a hard man #
# No harder in this world #
# You made me cold #
# And you made me hard #
# And you made me the thief #
# Of your heart #
# Winter is cold #
# Oh, but you're colder still #
# And for the first time #
# I feel like you're mine #
# I'll share you with the one #
# Who will mend what falls apart #
# And turn a blind eye #
# To the thief of your heart #
# Oh, your loss #
# Oh, your loss, oh #
# Your loss, oh #
# Oh, your loss #
# Your loss, oh #
# I'll never wash these clothes #
# I want to keep the stain #
# Your blood to me is precious #
# Nor would I spill it in vain #
# Your spirit sings #
# Though your lips never part #
# Singing only to me #
# The thief of your heart #
# Oh, your loss #
# Oh, your loss, oh #
# Your loss, oh #
# Oh, your loss #
# Oh, your loss, oh #
# Your loss, oh ##