the presence among us...
of this disgraceful criminal,
this scavenger...
this unspeakable human...
strikes at the very foundation
of the Southwest.
A disgrace...
to the fair name of our womanhood.
Your Honor, the prosecution rests.
Your Honor...
gentlemen of the jury...
I am the first to bow to achievement.
May I then, before I begin my poor plea...
respectfully call your attention
to that which I believe...
has never been duplicated before
in the history of Oklahoma.
Turn your eye to that figure
that has so deservedly held your attention.
This gifted person, Mr. Patrick Leary...
is the only man in the glorious
and brilliant Southwest...
nay, in this magnificent nation...
of whom it may actually be said
that he is able to strut sitting down.
- I object!
- Quiet.
- I object!
- Objection overruled.
- I note the exception.
- Proceed.
Gentlemen of the jury...
you have heard the prosecution's
cruel attack on this defenseless woman.
Bred in the gentle surroundings
of a pure home...
such as you would choose
for your own daughters...
this innocent girl,
bereft by death of her loved ones...
was left alone in the world.
In that hour of dark terror came a wolf
in sheep's clothing, gentlemen.
A wretch, posing as a friend...
false promises, lies, deceit so palpable...
that it would have fooled no one
but a young girl...
such as you, yourself, Mrs. Wyatt,
in your maidenly days.
Surely, you must remember.
Yes.
- Helpless, crushed by the...
- I object!
- Objection's overruled.
- I note an exception!
I note that my worthy opponent
is exceptionally able at noting exceptions.
Quiet. Proceed.
Gentlemen...
my only object in being here
is to try and get at the truth.
For that purpose, Your Honor,
I call as witness the defendant...
Miss Dixie Lee.
Miss Lee, you will take the stand.
Do you solemnly swear to tell the truth,
the whole truth...
and nothing but the truth,
so help you God?
I do.
You are under oath to tell only the truth.
You'll therefore answer my questions
to the best of your ability...
and in your own words.
At the death of your father
and your dear mother...
- just how old were you?
- I was 15.
Left in comfortable circumstances?
My father had been ill
as long as I could remember...
and my mother's health had broken
nursing him.
They left me without anything.
Now, it isn't my purpose to humiliate you,
Miss Lee, in front of these people...
but I must ask you to tell them
just what followed.
Tell the jury.
Well, I got work in the public library.
I met a man who said he loved me.
We were married secretly.
And then I found out that he already had
a wife and that our marriage was a fake.
- Did you continue on with this man?
- I never saw him again...
and after my baby died...
I left the city.
Did you make an effort
to secure employment...
so you could earn your own living?
Work of any kind?
Yes, I did.
Tell the court just what happened.
Well, I managed to get a position
as schoolteacher and then...
someone found out about me, and l...
And they blamed you instead of the man,
and you were forced to get out.
I object! That's leading the witness!
Objection sustained.
Strike out the question.
Did you try to sec