Original subtitles

I'm gonna show you what fear really is. I have personally experienced what a gun

can do.

It took away my whole life.

Do you still love her? Yeah.

Well, why don't you try showing it? I can't. Get out of here!

What's it gonna take to get through to you, Sylvia? You don't write me. Is that

right? You're a coward. I am not a coward! You actually want that man to

you. Isn't there something you'd be willing to die for? Yes, but I would not

throw my hands up and walk into my grave.

Three blocks from here, this police officer was gunned down during an

drug deal.

Imagine how this officer's wife felt when she learned that her husband's

a repeat felon, was able to purchase his handgun over the counter.

Not five minutes from where I stand, this woman was raped and murdered by two

men who forced her husband at gunpoint to watch.

Can you imagine?

How that man felt when he learned that his wife's killers, also repeat felons,

were able to purchase their handguns over the counter.

This is my husband.

He was an innocent bystander, paralyzed by a deranged man's bullet.

A man who then took his .38 pistol.

murdered his wife, his two -year -old son, and then killed himself.

Imagine how I felt when I learned that the man who shot my husband had been in

and out of mental institutions for years and yet was able to purchase his

handgun over the counter.

I'll tell you exactly how I felt.

I felt angry.

Angry that this...

This city has strict gun control laws, including a background check to prevent

these types of people from purchasing guns.

And yet my husband is still in a wheelchair.

Angry that nine out of ten of the guns used in this city's crimes are purchased

in other states where there are no background checks.

Angry that despite this, Congressman Harcourt is doing everything in his

to block a national gun control bill.

all look a little nervous you should be this semi -automatic uzi

holds 35 rounds could wipe out everybody in this room

in less than a minute i bought it in a virginia gun store the same

store where the man who shot my husband bought his gun all i had to do Was

say that I had no criminal record And no mental problems

Lucky for all of you I

told the truth

How'd it go today?

Oh, it was great. I did 50 jumping jacks. Then I ran the 109 steps.

You didn't go in, did you?

You've been drinking.

I don't know, officer. Let me see if I can wheel it straight up here.

I don't know why you even bother coming down here every day.

What do you want me to do?

Come down to one of your rallies and hang out and watch you trot out our

in front of strangers.

That'd be fun.

Come on.

Oh, my God.

Take care of this. No, I'll get it.

Leave us alone.

I heard your lies, Sylvia.

What's it going to take to get through to you?

Who are you?

You better stop, Sylvia.

Or Brandon won't be the only one in the wheelchair.

Damn it.

That man came into our house.

I'm going to do something about it.

I'm going to call the police.

Sylvia, you know that's not enough.

We're going to handle this the right way.

You mean your way?

Well, that's not good enough for me.

I began calling right after Sylvia started her organization.

And you get one of these practically every day since.

That's charming.

38 caliber bullets.

Yeah, same as the ones they pulled out of my spine.

Yeah. So what have the police done?

As much as they can, I guess. Extra drive -bys and other stuff to the place

prints last night. There's nothing.

Brandon, why didn't you come to me as soon as this started? You know perfectly

well that I'd do anything to help you and Sylvia.

She didn't want me to call you.

And Sylvia didn't want me to get you involved in this.

Where is she now?

Down at her headquarters. What else?

Well, I'll go and see her now.

Oh, by the way, I was talking the other day to Martin Fernandez.

Hey, how's he doing?

Fine. He's doing fine.

He tells me you're not going back to work.

Where's he been working?

I'm down at the rehab center every day, you know, pumping iron. I miss having a

social worker that I can rely on.

Someone who doesn't mind tilting at windmills every now and then. I feel it.

I mean, I don't... How, of course, they can be telling.

I'm sorry you got dragged into this, Robert.

You get dragged into anything.

Brandon's very worried about you, so am I.

Well, don't be.

The police are taking you.

You know, I'm offering you my help as an additional precaution, as the least a

friend can do.

Don't you see even a little bit of irony in me being surrounded by you and your

hired guns?

I don't need a vigilante.

Is that really what you think I am? What am I supposed to think? I don't know

what you are supposed to think.

I'll tell you what I think.

A vigilante places himself above the law.

I work and live within the law, and you know that. And you know damn well that I

am no vigilante.

I know that you mean well, Robert, but you represent everything that I am

against.

Guns are your whole life.

Just... Stay out of it.

Who is it?

Me.

You are late, Nicky.

That's what I told the mechanic.

Three hours he keeps me waiting and still the heater in my van's on the

Want a cup of tea?

I never understood how you drink that stuff.

Well, you better make sure that you've got a therm with a very hot coffee.

Because I want you to watch a house tonight.

A couple of friends of mine are being harassed.

Sylvie Thornton.

I don't know about this.

She's a gun control advocate, right?

Her husband was shot.

Yeah.

Brandon.

He asked me to help.

However, she is not too sure about my participation.

So you're not going to get much cooperation from her.

I thought you said she was a friend of yours.

Yeah.

But apparently a gun finished all that.

I don't know, perhaps she's still in shock.

But Brandon Thornton took the hit, not Philly.

Well, I think that in her mind, that bullet went into her body just the same

it went into her husband's.

And I think that during this past year, she has been slowly bleeding to death

from a wound that can't be seen.

Look, Robert.

We're driving in truckloads of suspects. We've got special attention on their

house every two hours.

And I suppose you think that's not enough.

No, Alice, it isn't.

Oh, you're a hard man to please, Robert.

Alice, I need a phone tap.

They've been making telephone calls every day now.

Look, you know I'm going to have to sit in court all day to get a wiretap

warrant, and they're never going to give it to me for one year.

Come on, Alice, I've heard you sweet -talk judges before.

I mean, you've turned into a fine art.

Judge Millican, for instance.

He'd do anything for you, anything.

He does like my smile, doesn't he?

Well, who doesn't, Alice? Who doesn't?

I'm about to kiss my first cop.

Thank you, Alice. Thank you.

By tonight, all right?

Right.

Until we have the technological means, we need a plentiful supply of energy.

Brandon?

I'll be in later.

Yeah.

Yes, this is Brendan Thornton. There's a man in a van across the street from our

house. I think he's the guy that's been threatening us.

Are you an officer?

Step out of the van. Is there a problem?

Out of the van.

Oh, God.

I have a handgun in my right front pocket. I also have a carry permit.

I got a gun. The permit is in my wallet, which is in the glove compartment.

Call Sergeant Sempert in Midtown North. Tell her I work for Robert McCall. So

clear the whole thing.

You got anything, Charles?

Yeah, we got a permit here.

Well, look what else we got.

I suppose you have a permit for that, too. Huh, pal?

You don't seem to realize what this will mean to us socially.

Oh, how socially? Why, in Red Gap, it'll give us, uh, two.

Joy B.

What's that?

Uh, uh, two.

Aaron, you ain't aiming on taking ruggles to Red Gap.

I certainly am.

They taught me their native game of, um... Drawing bone.

Quite horrible, he says.

It was.

to show you what fear really is.

Get it.

Get it.

I wish you had a gun now, don't you, Sylvia?

Sylvia!

Mail coming!

Sylvia?

You're starting to feel it now, aren't you?

The fear that I felt!

Say goodnight, Sylvia!

It all checks out.

Sorry about that.

I'm a good boy, you know.

I'll lead you.

Go on, go on.

Yeah, Sarge, we're ready to finish up here?

Yes, sir.

Sarge? Well, we couldn't look any pricier because of privacy.

I'll get him down to the lab right away. Okay, good. Call me as soon as you find

something.

You know, if I had a gun, I would have killed him.

No, he would have killed you.

She thinks just because I'm in a chair, you know, I can't pull a trigger.

Everything is not about that chair.

Everything for me is about the chair.

All right, all right, all right.

Just a minute.

The important thing.

is that we make up our minds what we're going to do next.

Now, we agree that the best thing would be for you to go away somewhere safe

until this man is caught.

I'm not running away, Robert. That's exactly what he wants. What do you think

he's going to do next time?

You can do what you want to do. I am staying here.

Sylvia, be reasonable, please.

I've made up my mind, Robert.

And next time, please respect my wishes. No more of your hired gunmen.

I don't need this. Just a minute.

Mickey Cosmire has rested life for you.

I think a little gratitude is in order, don't you?

Right, we've got work to do, Mickey. Come on.

Are there any witnesses?

That woman's a real case. Yes, keep an eye on them. Don't let them out of your

sight. Isn't it time for hired gunman number two to take a shift?

Jimmy will be here in a few hours.

It's going to be a cold night.

Did anybody see it?

Evening, Allison.

Hi. What did you find? Did there be anything?

Well, we found some fiber samples.

Four spent rounds. It looked like a high -caliber weapon.

No prints.

Allison, listen, I want to get a hold of a printer.

All male survivors.

Oh. Any violent crime involved with handguns in the past two years. Now, is

possible? It's possible.

Why do you need it?

The attacker said to Sylvia, I want to make you feel the fear

that I felt.

Obviously, he was a victim and someone who's been haunted.

I don't see it that way, Robert.

I see this guy as an out -and -out gun nut of sorts.

Probably with a long rap sheet.

So we beg to differ.

The printout.

Please. All right, sure.

I tell you, your printout's going to be as thick as a phone book.

Yes.

I think we can get through it quite quickly because I am looking for a crime

awful that it unhinged a mind and tortured a soul.

You don't quit, do you, Mrs. Thornton?

Someone broke into my home last night with a gun. Sorry to hear that. Are you

all right?

Then do something about it. Don't sabotage this bill. It's a bad bill,

Thornton, and none of these theatrics are going to influence my opinion.

What would influence your opinion?

The person with the biggest checkbook?

Robert, what are you doing here?

or on the 2? You want to come in here and watch? Uh, no, not really, thanks. I

haven't got time.

I'm on my way to see Barbara Hudek.

Remember her?

It's a joke.

Was her husband harassing her again?

You know we got an injunction. Yeah, I know, I know. Some kind of problem. I

don't know what it is.

Anyway, I called up your old office and David Fisher's coming out.

Fisher?

Guy's got the compassion of a dial tone.

I mean, the woman's in a lot of trouble.

Yes, yes, I know. I know she is.

I mean, you know, I can understand why you wouldn't want to go back into that

building again.

All right, you know where her apartment is.

On the corner, just park 220.

I know, I know.

Just let me handle it.

Don't say anything, Robert. Just take me home.

You know the first thing I noticed about you?

It's your hair.

Brandon, I've missed you.

Sylvia, don't.

What's the matter?

I can't feel that.

It's all right.

You're good. You're really good.

You've done a great act.

What are you talking about?

I mean, all this, you know, wanting to make love to me.

I do want to make love to you.

You don't want to make love to this body.

Brandon.

Brandon. This is disgusting. This is useless.

How can you say that?

You know, I see you looking at other men.

I mean, you don't think I see you, but I see you.

That's crazy.

Just get out.

Get out of here.

I know you don't want me.

You just get out.

Because I don't want you either. Get out of here!

Leave me alone!

I've just been talking to Brandon.

Listen, I'm about to go on the air. Yes, I know.

I wondered if, when you finish, we could talk.

There's nothing left to say.

Sylvia, we're ready for you. Come on in. Your friend is welcome to stay and

watch if you'd like.

Love that. Thank you.

All right, Sylvia, we've done this before, so just relax. Have fun with it.

know.

Here we go.

Good morning.

This is Talkback on WFQB -FM. I'm Chris Purley with Sylvia Thornton.

The subject, gun control. We will be taking calls as usual at 555 -WFQB. But

first, Sylvia, I understand you're going to be locking horns on television

tomorrow morning with your nemesis, Congressman James Harcourt.

Yes, we've both been asked to appear on Facing Facts.

And there's going to be heavy security, special guards, metal detectors because

of threats on your life?

That's right.

There's a man out there who's trying to force me to back down.

He's a very sick person.

He has threatened me. He has terrorized me. He broke into my home and held a gun

to my head.

Of course he wore a mask to hide the coward that he really is.

I know that he's out there listening right now.

And I want him to pick up the phone and talk to me because I have a message for

him.

I want everybody out there to know what an animal he really is.

Our lines are open.

We have a caller.

Talk back. You're on with Sylvia Thornton. I'm sick and tired of all this

-jerk stuff about gun control. If somebody starts something with me, I'm

to finish it. You're a wimp. Find another cause.

Uh -huh.

Well, we have another caller. Go ahead, please.

You're on.

You want to talk to me, Sylvia?

Here I am.

Let's talk.

Go ahead. Go ahead. This is your big chance.

I have only one thing to say to you.

Nothing.

Nothing you do will stop me.

Is that right?

Is that right? Well, you must think you're bulletproof.

Well, I got a message for you, Sylvia.

I'm going to blow a hole right through your head.

You don't frighten me. You're the one who's frightened. You're terrified.

You know, this is just a big show for you.

Just part of your speech, but it's my life.

You're a coward.

I am not a coward!

Don't you call me that!

You listen to me.

You listen real good, Sylvia.

Because this is the last sound you're ever going to hear.

That would certainly seem to be the man Sylvia described.

That wasn't the red!

Sylvia! Sylvia!

Sylvia, I want to talk to you.

And I want to talk to you now.

We told you there's nothing to talk about.

I'm beginning to understand that it is all fitting into place perfectly.

You are orchestrating this whole damn thing, aren't you? You actually want

man to kill you.

Isn't there something you'd be willing to die for, Robert?

Yes, indeed.

There's a number of things I'm probably willing to die for.

But I would not throw my hands up in the air and walk straight into my grave.

For a year, I have been talking about what guns did to my life.

Nobody cares.

Maybe if a gun control advocate were killed by a handgun, people might

wake up and listen.

How very convenient.

So become a martyr and escape everything that terrifies you. You called a man a

coward in there a few moments ago. Well, you are the coward because you are

frightened of every single thing in your life.

This is the only match of what Shepard's printout. Dorothy Kelly, age 28.

Raped and murdered.

Her husband, John Kelly.

This guy right here was held at gunpoint and forced to witness.

He survived the attack.

That man survived nothing.

Look at his face.

Mickey?

That is our man.

I swear it.

Come on, McCall.

You think that anybody who was the victim of a crime like that would back

Thornton 100 %?

Yes, you would, wouldn't you? You really would.

All right, let's walk through this with him.

The person you love more than any in the world is raped and murdered right in

front of your eyes.

And there's nothing you can do about it. You can't help.

You are powerless because all the power lies in the guns of the attackers.

So you just have to sit.

Watch it happen.

And when it's over, you are left with the knowledge that you should have done

something to help.

You should have tried, even if it meant that you yourself died with her.

So you take to the gun to get back in some way your manhood.

And then what happens? Suddenly, somebody is attempting, it seems, to

manhood away from you.

Who's responsible?

Gun control, i .e.

Sylvia Thornton.

We can't bring him in, can we?

No, we can't bring him in, can we?

Because Mr. Kelly has got to play his cards right to the end.

He do have his address.

Nice of Kelly to be out while we explore his little secret.

He built himself a regular fortress.

Well, after this, don't let anyone try to persuade me Mrs. Thornton's cause is

unjustified.

Well, McCall, you know that everybody owns a gun, don't you?

Look at yourself.

You have more guns than the National Guard.

The irony is not lost upon me.

Mickey, I have been a soldier.

For 30 years.

Guns are the tools of my trade.

And I'm stuck with them.

The point is, it's too late for me now.

But is it too late for the country?

We've got kids running about the streets, killing each other with Uzis.

Every single day we've got members of the public, passers -by, innocent

-by.

Murder.

Stray bullets.

Police forces up and down the country.

Outgunned by cheap punks.

And then, of course, we have politicians who will not take a stand.

So you're for gun control?

What do you think I've been saying for the past five minutes?

Personally, I see nothing wrong with a national two -week waiting period and a

background check on anybody who wants to buy a gun.

Keep it up, you'll be as popular as Sylvia Thornton.

Yes, yes.

calling this basic facts.

Hey.

Where's Brian?

He's got the flu today.

Yes. sure. He always gets sick the day after he loses a bet. That bum owes me a

C -note from the Knick game.

Well, I'm sure he'll be back tomorrow.

Yeah. Well, hey, listen, have a good one.

What are you doing down here?

What do you think I'm doing here?

Look, I told you on the phone I'm not going down there.

She is your wife.

She is in some danger and she needs help. I can't protect her.

Look, I talked to her about this and I don't... I don't think talking is what

she needs.

Oh, come on, Brandon. You are a trained counselor. You know what's wrong.

She misses you.

Do you still love her?

Yes.

Well, why don't you try showing her you love her?

I can't.

I think she should get someone who can.

Oh, great.

I mean, you're exactly alike, aren't you?

I mean, you're the wonderful martyrs, the pair of you. It's like a set of

bookends. Look, what the hell do you want from me? I don't want anything from

you, Brandon.

I'm merely trying to help both of you.

But no, you carry on. Just sit in your chair.

And when you get really bored, try burning yourself at a stake.

Or something.

Yes. And Congressman Harcourt, I'm glad that you both could join us. Now, we're

going to get started in a minute. If you would just take your seats. Good luck,

Mrs. Thornton.

Thanks.

In one year, handguns killed 89 people in Great Britain, Canada, Sweden,

Switzerland, and Australia and Israel. In one year, handguns in the United

States killed 11 ,500 people.

Now, what is this alarming difference?

And what, if anything, should be done about it? I'm Sally Jesse Raphael.

My guests today are Congressman James Harcourt and gun control advocate Sylvia

Thornton. Let's start with the congressman.

Our country has an epidemic of violence, yet you would have us believe that gun

control isn't the answer.

Sally, hindering innocent people from buying guns doesn't accomplish anything.

Stopping criminals from buying guns, that would accomplish a lot, Congressman

Harcourt. The only way to stop criminals is with harsh penalties.

Use a gun, go to jail.

Kill a police officer, it's the electric chair.

This nation has become addicted to guns.

And like an addict, we are blind to the fact that guns are the source of our

problem, not the solution.

I have personally experienced what a gun can do.

It took away my whole life.

Everything I care for.

That's the man. That's him.

Do

something.

She's your wife.

You do something.

Sylvia! Sylvia!

in order to get around the security system here, you would have to have

your gun at an earlier time, which you did, in a numbered seat.

So I knew exactly where to look for it, and I found it there.

And I took the liberty of exchanging the ammunition.

We know about your wife, Mr. Kelly.

I should have been able to do something to save her.

What you did was as much as any human being could possibly do.

It wasn't your fault. However, what you have done to these people, that is your

fault.

This way, please.

Brent Thorne.

Still keeping an eye on this, Rob?

Thank you.

Hello?