Jason Robert Brown

The witness stand is suddenly occupied by FRANKIE EPPS.

DORSEY
So, Frankie, you say you rode downtown with Mary on the English Avenue streetcar?

FRANKIE
Yessir. Mornin’ of the Memorial Day Parade.

DORSEY
And can you tell us what happened?

FRANKIE
Well, she got up to go and she looked funny.  And I said –

MARY enters in her parade finery, as before.

Somethin’ wrong, Mary?

MARY
Mr. Frank.

FRANKIE
Mr. Frank what?

MARY
Looks at me.

FRANKIE
Looks at you? Everybody looks at you.

MARY
Not like Mr. Frank.

FRANKIE
What does he do?

MARY
He calls my name,
I turn my head,
He got no words to say.
His eyes get big,
My face gets red,
And I want to run away,
And he looks…
And I wait…
And he smiles…

FRANKIE
And that was the last time I ever saw her.
(He looks over at LEO, knots his fist.)
I wish I’d-a come over there and broke your damn face!

Reaction in the courtroom.
LEO looks nervously at his attorney, LUTHER ROSSER, who slowly rises to his feet.

ROSSER
I’m ‘fraid I got to object here.  I —

WATSON
Proof!  It is proof
That the Lord has set before us!

JUDGE ROAN limply bangs his gavel.
LEO has not met FRANKIE’s gaze, looking straight ahead, stone-faced.