 Broadcasting system presents. Oh, I hope I haven't kept you waiting. Yes, this is the crime club. I'm the librarian Sentence of death Yes, we have that story for you Come right over We're here good Take the easy chair by the window Comfortable the manuscript is on this shelf Here it is sentence of death The very intriguing story of a conflict that proved that justice was not blind Let's look at it under the reading lamp Paul Remsen was elected to the Supreme Court bench by the people of his county in November He was sworn in in January and by April. He was already one of the most popular judges in the county It was late afternoon Caught at adjourn for the day and Judge Remsen was in chambers putting some papers into his briefcase Homework, he called it when senior Judge Graham Palmer walked in and sat down in the chair alongside Judge Remsen's desk What's the matter Graham? I'm glad you're still here Paul Have you heard the news about Sam Howard? I know He had a stroke. Oh good lord. How bad was it? The doctor believes he'll be all right But he'll have to rest a long time naturally the longer the better Yes, but in the meantime, we have the problem of what to do with Sam's calendar I phoned Allerton County to send us a judge, but Well, nothing doing until the middle of next week Well, now if there's any part of Sam's work you'd like me to take over there is Paul a matter that's scheduled for tomorrow morning Of course, what is it the people versus Martin Rivers? Martin Rivers oh I know how you feel about such matters and I do it myself Paul But the governor's appointed me to a special board of inquiry. I know I know we start hearings the first thing in the morning. Yes Graham I I Don't know if it's in me to send a man to his death Even if the law says you must but it's capital punishment Graham. I've always been against it, but it's the law my friend And you've taken an oath to uphold it. Yes, but Martin Rivers was tried and convicted of murder in the first degree The sentence of death is mandatory under the laws of this state. I know that Graham It's our duty to impose that sentence whether we like it or not until the law has changed Give me a chance to think about it. Will you of course? And if you should find that you can't go through with it. I'll Resign from the bench nonsense. We need you No Graham. I like that do it quit Yes, yes, mother Hello darling Did you have an exciting day in court? Yes. Yes pretty exciting a big day, too If those bulges in your briefcase mean anything homework, maybe Maybe you sound like a very tired judge. Let's go into the living room Martha. I'd like to sit down You're worried about something Paul Yes, what is it? Tomorrow morning. I've got to sentence a man to die you But you didn't have a murder case. It's judge Howard's case Howard sick and Graham Palmer is going to be tied up with that special board of inquiry, so Mother I Don't know if I can do it Why? Send a man to his death tell him when and how he's going to die Is this the man who was convicted last week Martin Rivers? Yes, and you're worried about him now look mother He killed another man in cold blood dear His victim never had a chance to defend himself I know but the state gave Martin Rivers every chance to defend himself He was given a fair trial and convicted Now there's nothing for you to be concerned about no no Nothing except my conscience. I order a man's death and then I have to live with myself But Paul the man was a professional gangster Heaven knows how many other people he's killed Don't you think he should be punished? Yes, I do send him away to prison for life take away all his rights and liberties But what right have we got to take a life? We didn't create What right did Martin Rivers have will he live by another code the underworld the law of the jungle take what you want kill or be killed You don't mean that Paul No, no, I guess I don't know one has the right to kill no matter what his code might be But where does that leave me? What do I do? It's very simple You have a sworn duty Yes Maybe I took on more than I can handle What do you mean becoming a judge deciding for other people? Oh, I don't know. I'm too confused right now to even guess what it's all about Of course dear Why don't you go upstairs and lie down for a while? No, no, then I won't be ready for an hour and a little rest Who do you good? I couldn't rest my well try it anyway? I'll call you when dinner's Listen dear I go ahead now All great men have to make important decisions. Mr. Justice Remsen You're no exception Paul No, what is it mother stop thinking about modern rivers and finish I can't mother Can you feel pity for a cold-blooded killer pity for modern rivers? As far as I'm concerned. He's finished But he's a man a human being and I cannot pronounce a sentence of death. I Cannot do it But very well What's the alternative? I'll have to resign from the bench. I know what the judgeship means to you. I know how hard you work to be elected Please please Martha. How can you think so little of your life or of mine? Don't you realize you'll be called a quitter Martha? I I don't know anything anymore. I'm going out for a walk. Do you mind? No, dear. I Don't mind. I've got to work myself out of this dilemma. I've got to know what I'm going to do and I've Got to know tonight Judge Paul Remsen walked for a long time without giving a thought to where he was going Then as he went across Main Street, he had an idea He got the bus and ten minutes later He was entering a small cigar store in one of the less pretentious neighborhood What can I do for you, sir? Let me have one of those cigars. Yeah, right you are sir Yeah, nice weather. We're having isn't it? Yes I always say give me the spring not too cold not too hot. It's better for business, too Yes, yeah, that'll be 30 cents Thank you. Yeah, not too cold not too hot. Yeah anything else, sir Are you mr. Herrick? Yeah, that's me Say I thought you looked familiar. You wouldn't be a judge at Remsen. Would you yes? Well, what do you know? Yeah, I was one of the majority that put you in office Mr. Herrick You were the foreman of the jury that convicted Martin Rivers of murder in the first degree. Yes, sir No, good gangster. He's coming up for sentence in the morning the Death penalty that's what the law says. Yes. I know How do you feel about sending a man to his death? How I'd like to know That's funny question judge Coming from a judge forget that I'm a judge. We're talking man to man I don't get this judge tomorrow morning a human being will be sentenced to die In any way from six weeks to six months depending on whether he appeals to a higher court You'll be dead. Yes You're partly responsible for doing that to him. Oh now wait a minute. Are you trying to make me feel like a murderer? Oh, no, no, you're not a murderer But do you feel now a week after the trial that you had a right to condemn another man to death? He was a killer. All right, but suppose mr. Herrick you'd met Martin Rivers right after he'd committed the murder. Would you have killed him? Say, what are you after would you will wouldn't you judge? Would you mind? Please mr. Herrick? I've Got to know Okay, the answer is no. I wouldn't have killed him That is not unless he tried to kill me, but he didn't now look judge I don't know what this is all about But I'm a member of society a decent law abiding citizen and I pay taxes to see that lawbreakers like Martin Rivers get what come into them I don't want them around well life imprisonment would have done the same things to have no not to my way of thinking the Fellow that killer shot didn't get a life sentence. He's dead now Maybe he was no good either but that's got nothing to do with us the law says that anyone who premeditates murder is it? What am I doing telling you about the law? That's rich I'm sorry judge, but it just struck me funny. That's all me telling a judge about the law Mr. Herrick, it may not be as funny as you think All right, you want to know how I feel? I think I can tell you I've got no regrets about Martin Rivers or any other killer that's got to die when I took the oath as a juror I promise to keep an open mind and to bring in the verdict based on the evidence Yes, that's exactly what I did and I've only guilty on the first ballot now then does that answer your question judge? Yes Thank you Good night. Yeah. Good night judge drop in again sometime. I promise. I won't start telling you about the law Me telling a judge about the law Good evening. Hello, dr. Benjamin Paul Paul Remsen forgive me. I didn't recognize you That street lamp behind you and my old eyes. Come in. Won't you? Thank you Have you been doctor as well as an old man can be But you Paul I'm proud of you. Oh, thank you come into my study I was just in the midst of writing Sunday sermon there, but that can wait a sermon can always wait So few people take it seriously So make yourself comfortable Paul. Yes It's been weeks since we had a real visit being a judge keeps you pretty busy, doesn't it? Yes Does it also leave you no time for happiness? Hmm. You seem depressed my boy more confused than depressed dr. Benjamin. Tell me about it. I I've been given an assignment a man's life a criminal He was found guilty of murder. She oh, it's my duty to sentence him tomorrow morning but I You find that you can't do it. I Can't make up my mind. It's difficult. I know it's my duty to pronounce that sentence The man committed murder cold-blooded premeditated murder and the law is explicit But still I can't get it out of my mind that in sentencing that man tomorrow. I'll Be sentencing Myself why my Principles the code of a lifetime What right have I got to order the death of another man? The law gives you that right ball as a man pastor Do you want me to answer that no no it's something I'll have to decide for myself, then why did you come to me? I I Want to talk and I don't know where I can talk more freely than before you I want to expose both sides of the case to myself and words that I can hear there are two sides doctor You know that there may be in now. I'm a judge. I Took an oath to uphold the law The whole body of law including the criminal code The code of crime and punishment by men and to men. Yes, but where did that law come from? Yes? It came from the Bible Our whole concept of criminal law is based on the premise of an eye for an eye a life for a life Yes, that's true Paul Unfortunately, but there's a higher law a moral law and that too comes from the Bible my son Thou shalt not kill that's what I mean dr. Benjamin. Which law do I follow? I can't answer that Paul I am a minister My way of living is different from yours I've taken an oath to But it's an oath to uphold the laws of God if I had chosen another way of life Perhaps the laws of man would be more important to me than the word of God. I don't know But I admire you greatly You have mercy in your heart for a man who had no mercy. That's good my son Whatever you do Whatever decision you make I'm sure you won't be less of a man I'm sorry. I can't do more to help you Paul But your soul is your own No one can keep it for you while you're on this earth. I know Thanks, no, no, no thanks to me son Well, I think I'll be going now this One more stop I've got to make It might be the last What do you want? Excuse me. I'm sorry to trouble you at this hour. What do you want? I'm Judge Remsen of the County Supreme Court. I'd like to come in for a moment if I may Judge Remsen of the Supreme Court, but I please This is dope. Oh sure sure come in Sorry, you see I wasn't expecting you and the house is in an awful mess. Oh, please don't apologize to me My daughter Mary went out and left everything for me to clean up. She always helps me but tonight she Judge What do you want? Your son Frank was killed by Martin Rivers four months ago. You've come here to talk about Frank. No I've got a sentence Martin Rivers to die Well, do you think I ought to say no you can't stop it Mrs. Dover the law makes it compulsory If I don't do it another judge you will he killed my boy if You could say no if you could stop the sentencing Would you do it? You're asking me Frank's mother. I'm trying to make up my own mind and I must know how you feel Oh What good will it do me if that man dies? Will it bring back my son will it help me to sleep at night is that is that how you really feel well will it You would keep him alive, wouldn't you if you could let him live if you could why didn't he let Frank live? He killed him but all right. All right Frank was no good. He told lies he beat people He was a gangster with a gun in his pocket. He slept all day and all night. He was out. Oh, no. I'm I'm I'm sorry, Mrs. Dover Well, maybe it was a thief too, but for that you don't deserve to die to be murdered No one has a right to kill no one Mrs. Dover. Is that what you really feel? Oh How can I say what I feel judge? I Brought up two children One's gone One night he said to me so long mama. He went out And the police came told me was dead a bullet How do I feel now judge? Who can say when there's so much pain, but do you want revenge? Do you want Martin rivers to pay with his life for what he did to your son? Martin rivers. He doesn't mean anything to me whether he lives or dies. I Don't hate him though. He killed my Frank, but I don't hate him. I'm sorry for people that kill That's how I feel when I'm not mixed up I've lost my boy, but oh no. No, I don't want to kill. I think that's how most of us feel when We're not mixed up. Good night, man You've been a great help Judge Paul Remsen went home and he went to bed, but he didn't sleep All night the words he had heard the opinions expressed by the different people kept running through his mind He couldn't sleep It's our duty to impose that sentence until the law has changed. He was given a fair trial and convicted That's more than the man. He killed God Paul He was a killer judge. I pay taxes to see the killers like Martin rivers get what's coming to them I did my duty as a jeweler and a citizen my duty Yes, Paul and I for an eye a life for a life, but there's a higher law a moral law and that too comes from the Bible Thou shalt not kill what good will it do me at that man dies? I've lost my boy, but I don't want to kill. That's how I feel when I'm not mixed up Your career now you want to throw it away because of some silly notion How can you think so little of your life? You'll be called a quitter. It's your duty Paul the law judge. How are duty your duty? Do What am I going to do Well Paul I Don't Know yet Martha Are you going to court this morning? Yes Well, that's something it may be the last time I'm going with you Martha. Don't you think I should go I'd rather you wouldn't it's my problem and mine I promise not to interfere poor Whatever you do will be all right with me Will it Don't you believe me? You understand I think so I Hope so dear Let's go downstairs and have some breakfast. Oh come in Excuse me judge. Oh, yes. Yes. What is it Henry? I just looked in to see if everything was all right with your judges It's pretty near 11 o'clock Hmm. Oh Come in come in Henry and close the door The courtroom's kind of crowded with lawyers waiting for things to get started your honor Yes, not that I give a hoot and holler about them But we are now are behind scheduled and that that means we finish up late this afternoon. Did you see Mrs? Remsen out there. Oh, yes, right in the first row with the spectators Do you want me to send her in here? Where's Martin Rivers Martin Rivers Well, they've got him in the detention room. He's he's waiting too. Oh, well, of course. He's in no hurry What's matter judge you worried about him? It's about him and About me too. Yeah, I Saw to figured it was that business that was keeping you in chambers so long Henry How long have you been a clerk in this courtroom? But near 40 years. Are you seeing many judges and many murderers? You've heard the sentence of death pronounced many times enough. Have you ever thought? How you would feel if you Had to pronounce that sentence Uh-huh. Could you do it? well Maybe not so long as I was me. I see but if I was a judge it it wouldn't make any difference Oh Why not? Well a judge isn't a man. You're on he isn't human. Oh Henry is there's something new No, sir. It's as old as history A judge has got no right to be human and that means he's got no right to work with his heart I see what you mean, but where would you draw the line between the man and the judge That black robe you're wearing that does it mm-hmm when you put on that black robe and go out there into the Courtroom and get up on that bench you stop being a man you become that robe the law The symbol everybody respects or is afraid of mm-hmm. Why do people have to stand up when the judge comes into this courtroom the symbol the Black robe it isn't because they respect the man that's wearing that robe maybe they do and Maybe they don't that's a personal matter, but they stand up for the robe. They've got to it's the will of the people the black Road, that's how you've got to look at it judge There's nothing personal in what you do when you're wearing that robe. Why because you're not in it, huh? What's that not you as Paul remson What's in that robe is a book that was written down at the state Capitol a long time ago the law That's the will of the people to your honor, but a man Must be sentenced to death Did he sentence another guy to death? Yes, and did he execute that sentence? Yes, but well then there's no two ways about it the book says he's got to die and The book says the robes got to tell him so that that's all there is to it. Yes. I know, but is it right? Is it? We're asked the book and the robe Book well judge. Are you ready ready? Yes? I'm ready Let's go The clerk will call the business of the day People versus Martin reverse Bring the prisoner to the bar. I would counsel for this man like to say a few words No But the court realizes that counsel cannot say anything to affect sentence But Martin I would like to say a few words to you What? Martin I'm about to say Isn't easy for me. I Hope you'll realize that and I hope you'll do me a personal service and yourself too There's a chaplain at the state prison a fine Understanding man I've known him for a long time Let him counsel you let him Talk to you and please Martin listen to him He can do you a lot of good He'll give you peace peace of mind and perhaps peace in your heart What is it judge Simon from the bench you're trying to soften me up Okay, give me the works and let's get out of here. I know it's coming to me and there's nothing you can do to change it So try to book at me Wise guy modern rivers You have been convicted by a jury of murder in the first degree The sentence of this court is that you shall be delivered into the custody of the sheriff of this county at once And by him delivered into the custody of the warden of the state prison Where one night during the week of May 14th You shall be put to death in the manner prescribed by the laws of this state and May God have mercy on your soul And may God have mercy on my soul and so closes tonight's story sentence of death Steadman Cole's wrote the radio script Roger Bauer produced and directed Raymond Edward Johnson played the part of Judge Paul Rensom and they cast included Helen Shields Maurice Franklin Irene Hubbard Bill Smith Ed Latimer and Murray Forbes Oh, I beg your pardon Hello, I hope I haven't kept you waiting Yes, this is a crime club. I'm the librarian Yes, come over a week from tonight Good we have the very exciting story of a nightmare that was as real as murder It's called cupid can be deadly In the meantime Well, in the meantime, there is a new crime club book available this week and every week that bookstores everywhere Yes, it's available now Fine and we look for you next week Oh, yes, here's something important The horrible suffering and tragedy of a cancer death can be avoided in many instances The American Cancer Society Wants you to know that of all the people who die of cancer. It is possible to save from 30 to 50 percent Protect yourself by getting a free booklet which tells of the seven danger signals and many other important facts on cancer Address your request for this information to the American Cancer Society New York for New York the American Cancer Society New York for New York This program came from New York Stay tuned now for another mutual favorite quiet, please which follows in just a moment This is the mutual broadcasting system