[BILLY HAYES (Brad Davis), in the prisoner’s dock, addresses the Court; as he speaks, a Turkish translator drones underneath his voice level.]
So now it’s time for me to speak. What is there for me to say ? When I finish, you’ll sentence me for my crime.
So let me ask you now : what is a crime ? What is a punishment ? It seems to vary from time to time, from place to place. What’s legal today is suddenly illegal tomorrow because some society says it’s over. Now what’s illegal yesterday is suddenly legal because everybody is doing it and… you can’t put everybody in jail. I’m not saying this is right or wrong. I’m just saying that’s the way it is.
