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Murder in the First ()


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An eager and idealistic young attorney defends an Alcatraz prisoner accused of murdering a fellow inmate. The extenuating circumstances: his client had just spent over three years in solitary confinement.

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Writer:
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Cast verified as complete

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James Stamphill
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Henri Young
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Associate Milton Glenn
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Mary McCasslin
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William McNeil (as Bill Macy)
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Mr. Henkin
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Byron Stamphill
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Judge Clawson
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Adult Rosetta Young
Ben Slack ...
Jerry Hoolihan
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Warden James Humson
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Blanche
Alex Bookston ...
Alcatraz Doc (as Alexander Bookston)
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Jury Foreman
Herb Ritts ...
Mike Kelly
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Simpson
David Michael Sterling ...
Inmate Rufus 'Ray' McCain (as David Sterling)
Michael Melvin ...
Inmate Arthur 'Doc' Barker
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Inmate #1
Nick Scoggin ...
Inmate #2
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Inmate #3
Joseph Richards ...
Inmate #4
Julius Varnado ...
Inmate #5
Tony Barr ...
Winthrop
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Harve
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Alcatraz Guard Swenson
Randy Pelish ...
Alcatraz Guard Wimer
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Alcatraz Guard Whitney
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Alcatraz Guard Wimer (as Sonny H. King)
Eddie Bowz ...
Alcatraz Guard
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Alcatraz Guard
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Alcatraz Guard
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Alcatraz Guard
Lance Brady ...
Alcatraz Guard
Michael Merrins ...
Alcatraz Guard
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City Jail Guard
Lee Mathis ...
City Jail Guard
Wayne Parks ...
City Jail Guard
Warren Spottswood ...
Cable Car Conductor
Thomas Fenske ...
Newsreel Reporter
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Newsreel Reporter
Sheldon Feldner ...
Man on the Street
Fred Franklin ...
Man on the Street
Danny Kovacs ...
Man on the Street
Joseph Lucas ...
Man on the Street
William Hall ...
Man on the Street
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Man on the Street
Randall Dudley ...
Man on the Street
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Shopkeeper
Amanda Borden ...
Rosetta Young - Age 9
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Winthrop's Secretary
Joseph Cole ...
Marshall Gates
Richard Kwong ...
Chinese Monk
Gary Lee Davis ...
Giant of a Man
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Paul Abbaszadeh ...
Paper Boy (uncredited)
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Self (uncredited) (archiveSound)
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Prisoner (uncredited)
Bundy Chanock ...
Police Officer (uncredited)
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Public Defender (uncredited)
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Prisoner (uncredited)
Annie Coffey ...
Fireworks Spectator (uncredited)
Sean Coffey ...
Fireworks Spectator #2 (uncredited)
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Alcatraz Guard (uncredited)
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Bailif (uncredited)
Mike Ferrante ...
Alcatraz Prisoner (uncredited)
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Reporter (uncredited)
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Prison Guard's Wife (uncredited)
Daniel Mandehr ...
Alcatraz Guard (uncredited)
Theo Mayes ...
Prison Barber (uncredited)
Colin Nicholas ...
Prisoner (uncredited)
Dennis Pappalardo ...
Inmate (uncredited)
Douglas W. Randall ...
Prison Guard (uncredited)
Michael Satterfield ...
Trial Attendee (uncredited)
Bob Shuttleworth ...
Court Reporter (uncredited)
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Newspaper Reporter (uncredited)
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Reporter (uncredited)
James A. Swan ...
Alcatraz Guard (uncredited)
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Restaurant Patron (uncredited)
Erick Vinther ...
Gaurd #1 (uncredited)
Ryken Zane ...
Reporter (uncredited)

Directed by

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Marc Rocco

Written by

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Dan Gordon ... (written by)

Produced by

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Marc Frydman ... producer
Deborah Lee ... co-producer
Philip McKeon ... associate producer
Marc Rocco ... executive producer
David L. Wolper ... executive producer
Mark Wolper ... producer

Music by

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Christopher Young

Cinematography by

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Fred Murphy ... director of photography

Editing by

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Russell Livingstone

Editorial Department

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James Carter ... color timer (as Jimmy Carter)
Terry Doering ... second assistant editor
David Rennie ... assistant editor
Paula Suhy ... additional assistant editor (as Paula Greatbatch)

Casting By

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Mary Jo Slater

Production Design by

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Kirk M. Petruccelli

Art Direction by

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Michael Rizzo

Set Decoration by

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Greg J. Grande ... (as Greg Grande)

Costume Design by

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Sylvia Vega-Vasquez ... (as Sylvia Vega Vasquez)

Makeup Department

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Claudia Avila ... assistant hair stylist
Janice Berridge ... assistant hair stylist
John Criswell ... makeup lab technician
Jill Crosby ... assistant hair stylist
Duke Cullen ... lab technician
Kristal Hruby ... assistant hair stylist
Barry R. Koper ... additional makeup artist (as Barry Koper)
Lisa Lopez ... assistant makeup artist
Tania Mamann ... assistant makeup artist
Theo Mayes ... key hair stylist
Maria Palos ... assistant hair stylist
Brian Penikas ... makeup lab technician
Lisa Rocco ... key makeup artist / makeup designer

Production Management

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Bruce Devan ... production supervisor: San Francisco
Deborah Lee ... unit production manager
Michael Tinger ... post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director

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Scott Javine ... first assistant director
David McWhirter ... second second assistant director
Kenneth J. Silverstein ... second assistant director (as Kenneth Silverstein)
Shannon Wilson ... second second assistant director: San Francisco

Art Department

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Kristin Argue ... drapery
Jill Bedford ... property assistant
Kris Boxell ... property assistant: San Francisco
Gregg Bruza ... set dresser
Scott E. Bruza ... lead man (as Scott Bruza)
Catherine Burns ... on-set painter
Jon J. Bush ... set dresser (as Jon Bush)
Conrad Chitwood ... construction coordinator
Jennifer Clinard ... scenic painter: San Francisco
Alan Feffer ... propmaker
Robert Hale ... painter
Chris Marneus ... general foreman
James McCrae ... on-set painter
Doni McMillan ... on-set dresser
Tony R. Medina ... prop maker
Mark Meloccaro ... art department coordinator
Jonathan Mikita ... set dresser
Michael Mikita ... laborer foreman
Edward Nua ... set dresser (as Ed Nua)
Christine Pernin ... property assistant
Jim Poynter ... lead man: San Francisco (as James Poynter)
Douglas W. Randall ... property master (as Douglas Randall)
Jani Randall ... property assistant (as Jani Monroe-Randall)
Mike Reiber ... painter
Maya Shimoguchi ... assistant art director
Tom Sindicich ... construction foreman: San Francisco (as Thomas Sindicich)
Cole Taylor ... set construction foreman
I.J. Van Perre ... construction coordinator: San Francisco (as Ivan Van Perre Jr.)
Kenton Walters ... art department coordinator
Gregory P. Alcus ... on-set dresser (uncredited)
J. Ben Sykes ... property assistant (uncredited)

Sound Department

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Andrew Adams ... cable person
Andre Bacha ... sound editor
Dickran Bezirgenian ... assistant sound editor (as Dickran H. Bezirgenian)
Barney Cabral ... supervising adr editor / supervising sound editor
Patrick Cabral ... foley artist (as Patrick David Cabral)
Patrick Cyccone Jr. ... re-recording mixer (as Patrick Cyccone)
Thom 'Coach' Ehle ... stereo sound consultant: Dolby (as Thomas 'Coach' Ehle)
Pete Elia ... adr recordist / sound mixer
Robert Fernandez ... score mixer
Robert W. Glass Jr. ... re-recording mixer
Tommy Goodwin ... adr mixer / foley mixer
Bruce Graham ... foley artist
John Hegedes ... sound editor
Mark Hollingsworth ... sound editor
Brian D. Lucas ... sound recordist
Kenneth C. Mantlo ... boom operator (as Kenneth Mantlo)
Howard Neiman ... sound editor
Murray Rachbach ... assistant sound editor
Dennis Sager ... sound engineer
Ed White ... sound mixer
Vince Williams ... foley mixer
Asher Yates ... sound editor (as Ascher Yates)
Dario Biscaldi ... foley artist (uncredited)
Peter Siciliano ... sound recordist (uncredited)

Special Effects by

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Geoff Martin ... special effects assistant
Geoffrey C. Martin ... special effects foreman
Kevin McCarthy ... special effects coordinator
Mike Scanlan ... animatronic designer
Peter Stolz ... special effects coordinator: San Francisco

Visual Effects by

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Mark Dornfeld ... optical effects supervisor: Buena Vista Imaging

Stunts

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Daniel W. Barringer ... stunts
Tom Boice ... stunts
Doug Coleman ... stunt coordinator
Debbie Evans ... stunts
Eddie Matthews ... stunts
Wally Rose ... stunts
James Turner ... stunts
Jim Wilkey ... stunts
Larry Laverty ... precision driver (uncredited)
Eddie Matthews ... stunt double: Christian Slater (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department

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Kenneth C. Barrows ... first assistant camera (as Kenneth Barrows)
Davie Carothers ... steadicam assistant
Tim Collins ... dolly grip (as Timothy Collins)
Thomas Crawford ... best boy grip
Ric Delgado ... assistant chief lighting technician (as Richard K. Delgado)
Brian Dzyak ... camera loader
Mark Figueroa ... second assistant camera
Tony Friedkin ... still photographer (as Anthony Friedkin)
Emil Hampton ... steadicam assistant
Chris H. Kelly ... electrician
Richard Mall ... key grip
Stan McClain ... helicopter photographer (as Stanton McClain)
Vern Nobles Jr. ... first assistant camera (as Vern Nobles)
David Norris ... camera technician: Wescam camera
Dino Parks ... chief lighting technician
Frank Perl ... camera operator
Ron Wisnesky ... rigging gaffer
Anthony Wolberg ... first assistant camera: "b" camera
Robert Cheung ... lighting technician (uncredited)
Thomas M. Dangcil ... lighting technician (uncredited)
Robert Daniel ... grip and lighting equipment rental liaison (uncredited)
Jack M. Guberman ... rigging electrician (uncredited)
William K. Koski ... lighting technician (uncredited)
David McMillan ... lighting technician (uncredited)

Casting Department

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Steve Brooksbank ... casting associate
Nancy Hayes ... extras casting / local casting
Nina Henninger ... assistant local casting
Stephanie Holbrook ... assistant local casting
Sandra Johnson ... extras casting/on-set wrangler (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department

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Carol Ewing ... costumer
Murray Lantz ... key costumer
Henry Lopez Jr. ... costumer (as Henry Lopez)
Joseph Roveto ... assistant costume designer / costumer: San Francisco
Robert Stewart ... wardrobe supervisor
Monica Vasquez ... costumer (uncredited)

Location Management

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Cynthia Connolly ... location assistant: San Francisco
Ellen Lent ... location manager: San Francisco (as Ellen Winchell)
Jennifer Lung ... location assistant: San Francisco
Wally Uchida ... location manager (as Wallace Uchida)
Francesca Prada ... location assistant (uncredited)

Music Department

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Pete Anthony ... orchestrator
Leslie Blackburn-Harlow ... musician: viola solo
Chris Boardman ... conductor
Ellen Bridger ... musician: cello solo
David Cates ... music editor
Steven Corn ... assistant music editor (as Steve Corn)
Robert Fernandez ... scoring mixer
Dominique Forma ... music supervisor
Alexander Janko ... auricle programmer
David May ... music supervisor
David Reynolds ... music editor (as Dave Reynolds)
Christopher Young ... orchestrator
Wayne Kiser ... music preparation (uncredited)

Script and Continuity Department

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Renée Rosenfeld ... script supervisor (as Renee Rosenfeld)
Tim Ballou ... script clearance analyst (uncredited)

Transportation Department

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David Menapace ... transportation captain
Michael Menapace ... transportation coordinator
James Whitehead ... transportation captain: San Francisco
Robert Randall Wolff ... driver

Additional Crew

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Thomas D. Adelman ... production manager (creditOnly)
Mitch Alden ... assistant: Christian Slater
Charlotte A. Baker ... key set production assistant: San Francisco
Susan Bradley ... title designer: Buena Vista Imaging
Bundy Chanock ... on-set production aide: San Francisco
Raquel Chung ... assistant: Marc Frydman
Susan Adele Colletta ... on-set production aide: San Francisco (as Susan Colletta)
Stephanie Cramer ... office production aide: San Francisco
John Crimmins ... office intern
Christopher Desmond ... medic: San Francisco
Mary Duann ... production coordinator: San Francisco (as Mary Duann-Kelly)
Randall Dudley ... production aide (as Randy Dudley)
Kimberly Edwards ... production accountant
Brad Epstein ... project consultant
J.J. Geary ... craft service (as John James Geary)
Gregg Gellman ... paramedic
Debra A. Girard ... assistant production coordinator: San Francisco (as Debra Girard)
Lesley Grant ... assistant: Christian Slater
Frank Heaney ... technical consultant
Winfried Heun ... spacecam technician
Sasha Hewitt ... key office assistant (as Sacha Hewitt)
Brian Hofstetter ... production aide
Samantha Holler ... office intern
Jerry Holway ... operator: Skyman
Shannon Kenny ... on-set production aide: San Francisco
Kristi Lake ... production accountant
Lucienne Lane ... assistant: Gary Oldman
Robert Lee ... production aide
Cynthia Lowe ... assistant production coordinator
Javier López de Ayala ... Publicist: Spain
Kathy L. MacMillan ... production aide (as Kathy MacMillan)
Scott Mathews ... production staff
Peter McAlevey ... project consultant
Joseph McCube ... office production aide: San Francisco
Donald C. McKeon ... project consultant (as Don McKeon)
Peter McKernan ... helicopter pilot
Paul Mendez ... assistant: Kevin Bacon
Michael Morris Jr. ... animal trainer
Jeanmarie Murphy-Burke ... unit publicist (as Jeanmarie Murphy Burke)
Chris Nieto ... office intern
Stacie O'Beirne ... production insurance services
Greg Orselli ... key production aide (as Gregory Orselli)
Frances Patterson ... assistant: Kevin Bacon
Jim Quillen ... technical consultant
Bruce Roberts ... production assistant
Bruce Roberts ... on-set production aide: San Francisco
Jennifer Rocco ... project consultant
Lisa Rocco ... lens technician
Lucien Rocco ... production aide
Richard Rush ... project consultant
Denise Sanders ... animal trainer (as Jacqueline D. Sanders)
Auriel Sanderson ... assistant: David Wolper
Brett Schlaman ... production aide
Jessica Scott ... office intern
Doree Sitterly ... animal trainer
Pamela Smith ... production accountant
Jeff Sparks ... production aide
James Spies ... production associate
Jules Sylvester ... animal trainer (as Julian Sylvester)
Chris Tallon ... on-set production aide: San Francisco
Hay Tanning ... assistant: Mark Wolper
Ken Twohy ... production assistant
Nicolas Vannier ... production aide
Kristin Viens ... office intern
Paula Wagner ... project consultant
Kenton Walters ... newsreel researcher
Moses Weinstein ... technical consultant (as Judge Moses Weinstein)
Garrard Whatley ... production assistant
James J. Wilhelm ... craft service: San Francisco (as James Wilhelm)
Michael Wimer ... project consultant
Cynthia Wise ... production accountant
Mitchell Nyberg ... set coordinator (uncredited)
Robert 'Bobby Z' Zajonc ... aerial coordinator (uncredited)

Production Companies

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Distributors

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Special Effects

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Other Companies

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Storyline

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Plot Summary

Henri Young stole five dollars from a post office and ended up going to prison - to the most famous, or infamous, prison of them all: Alcatraz. He tried to escape, failed, and spent three years and two months in solitary confinement - in a dungeon, with no light, no heat and no toilet. Milton Glenn, the assistant warden, who was given free reign by his duty-shirking superior, was responsible for Young's treatment. Glenn even took a straight razor and hobbled Young for life. After three years and two months, Young was taken out of solitary confinement and put with the rest of the prisoners. Almost immediately, Young took a spoon and stabbed a fellow prisoner in the neck, killing him. Now, Young is on trial for murder, and if he's convicted he'll go to the gas chamber. An eager and idealistic young attorney, James Stamphill, is given this impossible case, and argues before a shocked courtroom that Young had a co-conspirator. The true murderer, he says, was Alcatraz. Written by J. Spurlin

Plot Keywords
Taglines One was condemned. The other was determined. Two men whose friendship gave them the will to take on the system. See more »
Genres
Parents Guide View content advisory »
Certification

Additional Details

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Also Known As
  • Meurtre à Alcatraz (France)
  • Lebenslang in Alcatraz (Germany)
  • Homicidio en primer grado (Spain)
  • Homicidi en primer grau (Spain, Catalan title)
  • Meurtre avec préméditation (Canada, French title)
  • See more »
Runtime
  • 122 min
Country
Language
Color
Aspect Ratio
Sound Mix
Filming Locations

Did You Know?

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Trivia Kevin Bacon lost twenty pounds to play Henri Young. See more »
Goofs Henry Young didn't go to Alcatraz for "stealing 5 dollars." In real life, he was both a bank robber and a murderer, and had already been in at least two state prisons before landing at Alcatraz. * - - - - Henri Young is different from Henry Young (see Wikipedia). Henry did indeed go to prison for stealing 5 Dollars. See more »
Movie Connections Featured in Memo to the Academy - 1995 (1995). See more »
Soundtracks Tuxedo Junction See more »
Crazy Credits This Film is Inspired by a True Story See more »
Quotes James Stamphill: Did you kill Rufus McCain?
Henri Young: I was the weapon, but I ain't no killer.
See more »

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