PHILADELPHIA

                              JOE
                    If it please the court, I'd like
                    to ask Mr. Beckett to
                    remove his shirt, so that the
                    jury can have an accurate idea
                    of what we're talking about.

                              BELINDA
                    We object, Your Honor. It would
                    unfairly influence the jury.

                              JOE
                    Your Honor, if Mr. Beckett was
                    forced by his illness to use a
                    wheelchair, would the defense
                    ask him to park it outside?
                    We're talking about AIDS, we're
                    talking about lesions. Let's
                    see what we're talking about.

ANGLE ON MEMBERS OF THE JURY -- LOOKING APPREHENSIVE.

                              JUDGE GARNETT
                         (a moment, then)
                    I'll allow it. Would you mind
                    removing your shirt, Mr.
                    Beckett?

ANGLE ON MIGUEL -- TENSE.

                              ANDREW
                    Allright.

The COURTROOM TURNS SILENT.

Andrew removes his suit jacket. He's weak, so the smallest
gesture requires effort.

ANGLE ON BOB SEIDMAN -- WATCHING.

Andrew undoes his tie.

ANGLE ON THE MARINE JUROR -- WATCHING.

Andrew unbuttons his collar buttons, working his way down.

ANGLE ON SARAH BECKETT -- WATCHING.

Andrew stands, pulling his shirttails out of his trousers.

ANGLE ON CHARLES WHEELER -- WATCHING.

Andrew removes his shirt -- THERE ARE PURPLE BLOTCHES
SPLAYED ACROSS HIS CHEST AND ABDOMEN AND ARMS.

The SCHOOLTEACHER JUROR GASPS.

Sarah Beckett is silently crying.

The LESBIAN JUROR closes her eyes.

                              JOE
                    Can you see the lesions on your
                    chest in this mirror?

                              ANDREW
                    Yes.

                              JOE
                    Thank you.

CAMERA MOVES IN ON CHARLES WHEELER...

                                                  CUT TO:
COURTHOUSE CORRIDOR, ACTIVITY (INT./DAY) ...

Charles Wheeler strides down the corridor, flanked by
Kenton, Killcoyne and Belinda, discussing strategy.

Bob Seidman steps to Wheeler's side, keeping pace.

                              SEIDMAN
                    I've discovered something
                    interesting, Charles.

                              WHEELER
                         (to Belinda)
                    ... keep them from that area,
                    on grounds of relevancy.
                         (to Seidman)
                    What, Bob?

                              SEIDMAN
                    No matter how hard I try, I
                    can't lose a file in my
                    computer.

NOW he's got EVERYONE'S attention.

                              SEIDMAN (CONT.)
                    The system automatically makes a
                    backup.

Belinda holds up both hands, interrupting with:

                              BELINDA
                    I don't think I should hear this.

She walks away, giving a glance over her shoulder as:

                              SEIDMAN
                    You can erase the backup...
                         (a challenge to Wheeler)
                    But why would you?

                              KENTON
                         (venomous)
                    What's the point, Bob?

                              WHEELER
                         (calm)
                    Very interesting, Bob. Let's make a
                    note of that. Andy didn't lose the
                    complaint in his computer. He
                    never put it in. He lied about
                    that, too.

                              SEIDMAN
                         (weary)
                    Charles...

                              WHEELER
                    If you feel differently, Bob, you
                    should say so, when you're called
                    to the stand. After all, this
                    isn't a conspiracy.

Wheeler and the gang moves on, leaving Seidman alone in the
high-ceilinged corridor.

Belinda hesitates, before re-grouping with Wheeler and the
rest, casting a curious glance toward Bob Seidman.

                                                  CUT TO:

CAMERA PULLS BACK FROM CHARLES WHEELER -- ON THE STAND...

                              BELINDA
                    Why did you recruit Andrew Beckett
                    to your firm?

Andrew uses all his strength to concentrate.

Charles Wheeler speaks with great sincerity.

                              WHEELER
                    If you're the owner of a major
                    league ball club, you recruit the
                    hot rookie. And Andy was tremendously
                    promising as a young attorney.
                    That's why we went after him,
                    that's why we hired him, and
                    that's why we stuck with him,
                    year after year... waiting for
                    the promise to be fulfilled. But
                    it never was.

                              BELINDA
                    You kept giving him another chance?

                              WHEELER
                    Of course we did. When you've
                    groomed someone they way we groomed
                    Andy, nurturing him, lavishing all
                    kinds of special treatment on him...
                    you've made quite an investment.
                    We were waiting for his promise to
                    kick in, and deliver. But,
                    ultimately, we could no longer
                    ignore the gap between the promise
                    and the reality... This is one of
                    the saddest times in my life. To
                    sit in this court, testifying to
                    Andy's ultimate failure to make
                    the grade. To discover that he is
                    one of those people who wants to
                    benefit by the system, but doesn't
                    want to play by the system's
                    rules. To think you know someone,
                    only to find out... you don't know
                    them at all. It's heartbreaking.

                              BELINDA
                    Thank you. That's all for now,
                    Your Honor.

                              JUDGE GARNETT
                    Mr. Miller?

Joe rises. Adjusts his jacket. Wheeler waits.

                              JOE
                         (very gentle)
                    Explain to me, if you can, Mr.
                    Wheeler, explain this to me like
                    I'm a ten year-old. This trial is
                    not about a disease, is that what
                    you're saying? Not about your
                    understandable, if unfounded, fear
                    of catching AIDS through casual
                    contact with someone who has it?
                    You're saying, this trial is about
                    Andrew Beckett's character. Am I
                    getting this right?

                              WHEELER
                    Yes, character. To the extent that it
                    affects a person's ability to do
                    a great job.

Andrew looks away -- face shiny with sweat, breathing
difficult. He takes in the rest of the court, while
Wheeler's words THROB THROUGH THE AIR...

                              WHEELER (CONT.)
                    Andy worked when he wanted to work,
                    telling us what he thought we
                    needed to know about his
                    lifestyle...

ANDREW'S POV -- ON RACHEL, sitting among the spectators. Rachel
begins speaking, her WORDS OVERLAPPING Wheeler's (we should get
the feeling she's giving her testimony).

                              RACHEL
                    I didn't mind covering for Andy,
                    but I did wonder... when was he
                    planning to deal with his problem?

Andrew blinks... what's going on?

Looking back to the court: Joe presses in on Wheeler.

Everything seems normal.

                              WHEELER
                    Sometimes it seems like society
                    is run by these kinds of people.

                              JOE
                    What kind of people?

                              WHEELER
                    People who want to bend the rules...

ANDREW'S POV -- KENNETH KILLCOYNE at the defense table:

                              KILLCOYNE
                    If you want to be a leader in this
                    society, you have to make
                    certain sacrifices.

Wheeler keeps speaking:

                              WHEELER
                    ... to suit their personal desires,
                    and the rest of us have to live
                    with it.

ANDREW'S POV -- WALTER KENTON:

                              KENTON
                    You have to make a decision: is
                    this guy partner material?

                              JOE
                    Who makes the rules, Mr. Wheeler?
                    You?

ANDREW'S POV -- BOB SEIDMAN:

                              SEIDMAN
                    Yes, I did see the lesions. I
                    suspected he was sick...

CLOSE ON ANDREW: closing his eyes.

THE VOICES GET LOUDER, FIGHTING WITH EACH OTHER:

                              WHEELER
                    The everyday, common person with
                    decent values...

                              RACHEL
                    It seems like he wasn't willing to
                    face the reality of his situation...

Andrew slowly rises, the VOICES GETTING LOUDER:

                              SEIDMAN
                    I didn't tell the others, I
                    was afraid to...

                              WHEELER
                    ... But now, we're standing up for
                    ourselves...