INT.   COURTHOUSE HALLWAY               EVENING

MS. DOROTHY ADAMS walks out courtroom door, into a dimly lit courthouse hallway. She is energetic and proud with a smug, confident look on her face. Camera follows her down the hall from the side, slowly turning to see her back as she continues walking. With camera still trained on MS. ADAMS, CAMERA MAN starts running. Camera shakes.

REPORTER ONE (loudly, almost rudely)

Ms. Adams! Ms. Adams!

Swarm of CAMERA MEN and REPORTERS runs after DOROTHY ADAMS. She speeds up. Cameras flash. More REPORTERS yell at Ms. ADAMS in frenzied tones, talking over each other.

REPORTER TWO

Ms. Adams! Ms. Adams! What can you tell us about the case?

REPORTER THREE

Has Russ Hyeth been charged with the murder of his daughter?

REPORTER FOUR

 What was it like in the courtroom? What did the Defense say?

MS. ADAMS turns around and faces the swarm of reporters. We take turns seeing her from different angles, as if looking through the camera lenses of different reporters. The mob is silent, listening intently.

DOROTHY ADAMS (slightly annoyed, but mysterious and confident)

At this time, I will tell the public this: Mr. Hyeth has indeed been charged with  murder in the first degree of his eldest daughter, Patricia Hyeth. It has been uncovered that Mr. Hyeth beat his daughter at random times, but quite often throughout her entire life. We, the Prosecution, proved that on the day of her death, Patricia Hyeth had come home late from a friend’s house. Mr. Hyeth had been so angry with her that he began beating her and refused to stop, even though she cried out in pain. He has been sentenced to life in prison for his actions, with no chance of parole.

Cameras flash again and MS. ADAMS turns and walks away from the reporters.

ALL REPORTERS AT ONCE (IN FRENZIED TONES)

Ms. Adams! Ms. Adams! (repeats over and over)

REPORTER TWO

Ms. Adams, how did the Prosecution charge Russ Hyeth with murder in the first degree?

Other REPORTERS are silent. DOROTHY ADAMS turns back around and faces the REPORTERS once again. Cameras flash.

DOROTHY ADAMS (informative, but still slightly mysterious)

Mr. Hyeth took notes, regularly, about how angry his daughter made him. A journal, if you will. In one of his latest entries, he said, and I quote, “If that imbecile girl does one more thing wrong, I swear to God I will beat the life out of her.” We, the Prosecution were able to prove that this indeed meant Mr. Hyeth had full intention of killing Patricia. That is how he was charged with murder in the first degree.

MS. ADAMS turns back around, away from the REPORTERS. We follow her down the hall. She has a smug, confident, and slightly annoyed look on her face. We see the REPORTERS and CAMERAMEN running behind her.

                                                                                                                                                CUT TO

INT.    INSIDE OF ELEVATOR                     MOMENTS LATER

We hear dead silence, then a ‘ding’ and elevator door opens, revealing MS. ADAMS on the other side. We hear shouts of REPORTERS and clicks of cameras. MS. ADAMS steps in.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            CUT TO

INT.    COURTHOUSE HALLWAY              MOMENTS LATER

We see from overhead, REPORTERS and CAMERAMEN running down hallway, after Ms. ADAMS.  

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            CUT TO

INT.    ELEVATOR                 MOMENTS LATER

Elevator doors close as REPORTERS rush toward it. We see their faces, microphones, and cameras. There are camera flashes. Elevator doors close completely, with MS. ADAMS inside. All is silent. MS. ADAMS looks up at her reflection in a security camera located in the corner of the elevator.

MS. ADAMS (satisfied)

Well done, Dorothy, well done.