-I'm looking for a Jeffrey Rignall.
Last year, you filed a police report for assault,
you named Gacy as the assailant.
-It's my story. I'm the victim here.
-Sometimes the best way to get what we want is to make noise.
-So I'm supposed to do it?
-I think so.
-The system failed these families.
-It was your birthday, for heaven's sake.
It should have been me going to pick up Rob,
not you, not on your birthday.
-You blame me. -No. I don't blame.
-I need you to tell me if there are more out there.
-Up to you to find out.
-Hey. I'll see you at your execution, asshole.
[***]
Jeffrey: Three thousand?
My medical bills are twenty grand.
Fred: That's their offer.
We could still let a judge decide,
but then... -[knocking on door]
-He's here. And his lawyer.
Fred: Conference room.
[door closes]
John: All right. [laughs]
That's why you got that nice suit. [laughs]
Ron: Are you okay? John: I swear.
-What the hell is he doing here? -Jeff, it's fine.
He's going to the conference room.
-Who?
-Mr. Gacy and his lawyer are here to discuss...
-Are you fucking kidding me?
-We're just trying to close it up. Okay?
As quickly as possible.
I'm meeting with them after we're done.
Now, um... [clears throat] -Oh, my God...
-Mr. Gacy is threatening to enter a counterclaim.
He says you're the one that got violent
and that you drugged him... -That's crazy.
-and then blackmailed him. -Okay, but how can he do that?
What about my bruises? About the burns on my face?
-He's saying that it was consensual play.
-The man chloroformed me.
He beat me, tortured me. I mean...
could've killed me for Christ's sake.
Fred, come on. Fuck.
-We're all friends here. Okay?
And I believe you. -Okay.
Fred: But as your lawyer, all I'm saying is
that it's gonna be hard to prove in court.
It's your word against his.
And even if we win the civil suit,
you might not collect.
Cook County's inundated and their priorities have shifted.
Murder, um, drugs, prostitution,
that's where their personnel and resources are flowing now.
[Fred sighs]
Given the nature of your case,
the judge will likely toss it out as a petty dispute.
Ron: We still have the criminal action.
We can get the charges raised to aggravated battery.
That's a felony, right?
Fred: We could try.
But it's a long shot.
-I was raped.
[mournful music playing]
I was raped.
He raped me. I mean...
-According to the state's attorney's office,
there's no statutory precedent for what happened to you.
A man cannot rape another man,
from a legal standpoint, anyway.
-We handed him to the police.
We gave them-- We gave them everything.
-We'll install arches on the street-facing windows,
maybe some stained glass.
It'll be our cathedral in the sky.
-Bless me, Father,
for I have sinned. -Oh!
Brass built-ins on the bar, dark wallpaper.
I'm thinking colored lights.
Do we-- What do you think of neon? Too much?
Because I feel like we could have a great entrance foyer.
What do you think? You got any thoughts, mister?
-I just have one question. -What's that?
-When are we getting hitched?
-We gotta consecrate the place first.
Make it all holy. -Okay.
We can manage that. -Yeah?
-[chuckles]
[loud bang on door]
What the hell was that?
-[laughs] Sounds like an earthquake.
-How do you know what an earthquake sounds like?
-It sounds cool as fuck, you know that.
Whoa, hey! You're-- You okay?
Rose: Yeah, I'm fine.
Jeffrey: You need, need... -I think I got it.
-You think you got it? -Yup. Oh, shit.
-[Jeffrey laughs] God, I'll help you up.
You want a hand? Let me help. -Okay, give me a hand.
Oh, no! Ron: Oh, my God.
Jeffrey: I don't think you got it.
All right. Oh. Oh, you're not very steady.
Way-- Okay. Rose: I'm fine, fine.
I was just-- I was trying to knock on your door
because I'm-- um,
I need to borrow some pliers
'cause my pilot light is broken. -Uh-huh.
-But then I didn't know how to stop.
-Uh-hmm. -Oh, my God!
Jeffrey: Or stand. -Yeah, no, no.
-[laughs] Rose: Okay.
I, um...
-Uh, I'm Jeff. This is Ron.
-Hi. -Hey.
-Uh, I'm your neighbor there, there.
I'm Rose from 4C. Jeffrey: Ah.
Nice to meet you, Rose from 4C.
-Yeah, you too. I gotta go. -Okay. Okay.
-Bye! -Bye!
-Woo-hoo!
-I like her. She's fun.
-I know you do. -[laughs]
-Now where were we?
-We're consecrating the apartment.
Jeffrey: Figuring out where everything went.
All of a sudden, the whole building...
shook.
-Ah! Jeffrey: And we were like,
"What the hell was that?"
[laughs]
We opened the door, "Who is it?"
Legs akimbo, roller skates still rolling,
she literally rolled into our lives. [laughs]
Fred: So, uh, what's going on with the three of you anyway?
Jeffrey: Well, we're together.
[soft song playing on radio]
Fred: Oh.
Relationships are hard enough with two people.
So, how does this work?
-Well, Jeff is bisexual.
I'm... whatever.
And Ron... What are you, Ron?
-Yeah, Ron. What are you? Ron: [exhales deeply]
The voice of reason, baby.
-Yeah, right. [chuckles]
Rose: So, Fred and I have some news.
You know that beautiful historic building off Racine?
Near Sherman Park?
-Go on. Out with it.
-Well, Fred's buying it. Jeffrey: Oh.
-And he loves what you've done with this building,
with your place here,
and so he's agreed to hire you both to do the renovation.
-Ooh.
-[laughs] Isn't that fabulous?
Jeffrey: What? I don't know what to say.
Uh, thank you.
Fred: Don't thank me. It's this one.
-You know, this perky gal's got a few tricks
up her sleeve. -This one?
-It's a quarter-mil gig top to bottom,
not including your fee. -Oh.
Rose: So? Yeah? Jeffrey: You spoil me.
-What do you say? -I say yes.
-We have a-- We have a deal?
Jeffrey: We have a deal! -To partnership.
-To Rose. -Thank you, baby.
Singer: * Everybody's sayin' * * that music is love *
* Everybody's sayin' * * it's love *
* Put on your colors and run * * come see *
* Everybody's sayin' * * the music's for free *
-I don't know what I'd do without you.
-I don't wanna know.
Singer: * Everybody's saying * * the music's for fun *
[indistinct chattering]
[melancholic music playing]
-Hi. -Hi.
Have you seen Kenny and Kerry?
-Yeah. They're already on the bus.
-Anybody know if Bessie's coming?
-She called earlier. Meeting us there.
-Huh. Great. Let's go!
[***]
lawyer: As you know,
my client is the owner of property
located on North Michigan Avenue
here in Chicago. A 17,550... -[music drowns out dialog]
[rock music playing on radio] * Right here, right now *
* There is no other thing * * I want... *
woman [on radio]: [indistinct] is forcing
many students to study in...
man [on radio]: ...near the solar eclipse.
You can't look directly at it though, but you can get...
newsman: Gacy's lawyers are filing two final appeals
that the Illinois Attorney General is confident
will be denied,
along with the 20-some-odd appeals
that have previously fallen short.
Sixteen years ago, a quaint suburban Chicago street
became a scene straight out of a horror film.
The bodies of 29 young men were pulled from the crawl space
beneath John Wayne Gacy's home.
Since his conviction,
Gacy has spent the past 14 years
at Joliet Prison in Illinois.
He is scheduled to be put to death
tonight by lethal injection just after midnight.
A local general contract... -[switches radio off]
[birds chirping in distance]
[door slams shut]
Deanna: Is that you, sweetie?
-Nope, just me. Your husband.
-Shoot.
[object clatters on table]
-Tried you before. -[footsteps approaching]
Couple times. Got a busy signal.
Deanna: Ugh.
Phone's been ringing all day.
Reporters. Took it off the hook.
[sighs] -Yeah.
-How was work?
-Same old.
-Everything all right?
-Yeah, never been better.
-Is it him?
-No. It's not. Okay?
-Uh-hmm.
-Now how about we cancel dinner tonight?
-It took weeks to get that table.
-Yeah, I don't know. I'm just not feeling fancy.
-You've been talking about it all month.
-Why get all gussied up
when there's a perfectly great hot dog stand
right down the street?
-[chuckles]
Because we go there all the time.
Talk to me.
-Okay. Fuck it. Let's go.
Yeah.
-Okay.
-You're not gonna wear that though, are you?
-Yes.
[sorrowful music playing]
[protesters shouting indistinctly]
[man shouts indistinctly]
man 2: Kill the clown!
woman: No more execution! man 3: Yes to death penalty!
-Die!
woman 2: Well, shame on you!
[reporters speaking indistinctly]
man 4: Kill the clown!
Jeffrey: I can't believe what you've done with the place.
Rose: You like it?
-It's very beach-y.
-Florida Chic. [chuckles] -[laughs]
-I can't seem to keep my palms alive though.
-[chuckles]
-And most of these rattan pieces shipped
when I visited you and Ron.
[soft song playing on radio]
-[Jeffrey chuckles] -My God. I'm sorry.
We're gonna have to talk about it at some point though,
I guess.
-Nothin' to talk about.
Ron and I are through. Florida's over.
-I can change it all.
-Don't. Don't.
It's terrific.
I meant what I said on the phone.
I'm ready to start a life,
make a fresh start together.
Even got to thinkin' about law school.
-Really?
-Really.
-Everything's gonna be perfect.
-I can't wait.
[fire alarm beeping]
-Oh, shit. My soufflés! -Oh!
-Oh, no. -Fireman Jeff to the rescue!
Holy-- Okay.
Too much wine.
-Is this how it's gonna be?
-What do you mean?
[sighs] Is this about Ron?
-No, it's about you.
That's the thing. It's always about you.
Fucking law school.
You must really think I'm an idiot.
-It's been a long day.
I just need some time to straighten things out.
Get back in the swing of things.
Come on now.
-So I'm a rebound?
-Oh, get serious.
-Come on. Can't you just be honest for once?
-[Jeffrey scoffs]
Rose: Well, you--
Shit hits the fan with Ron,
and so you call me to complain for weeks.
And then you think you can just fly back here
and shack up with me till you find your next trick?
-Okay. Now you're being hysterical.
-Don't you dare say that to me.
-[sighs]
Can we forget about tonight?
Let's get a drink.
Broadway Limited's just gettin' good. Let's go out.
-[scoffs]
I'm tired.
-Oh, come on. -I have an early day.
You go.
Go out, swing,
do whatever you wanna do. I don't care.
[door slams]
Marko: This is it?
Where is the witness room?
guard: Told to bring you here.
Be back when it's time.
-[melancholic music playing] -[indistinct chattering]
[***]
Bill: Well, I'll be damned.
-Hiya, Bill. -[laughs] How you doing?
-[laughs] All right.
-Retirement seems to have done you wonders.
-Yeah. Well, honestly, I've never been busier.
-Yeah. -I got my P.I. license.
Took up painting. I mean, hell, my wife and I,
we even wrote a book together. -You know, I heard about that.
-That's 'cause I sent you a signed copy.
-Yeah. -Yeah.
-Who're all these people? Where're the families?
-Yes, it is good to see you too, Tovar.
Uh, the D.O.C. thought it would be best
if the families were held elsewhere.
Limit the chance of any "unwanted drama."
-You shittin' me?
-Hey, I didn't say that I agreed with them.
If anybody deserves a front row seat to this, it's them.
It was out of my hands.
Hey, listen, the families are being well taken care of.
I can assure you of that.
We've done everything we can for them.
It's been a long, hard road to get to this evening.
And here we are.
-Here we are.
[indistinct chattering]
Bill: I'm gonna go pay my respects to the A.G.
[footsteps approaching]
-When are they bringing us in? -I don't know.
-It's supposed to start in midnight, right?
-Yes.
-Government.
I don't know why I'd expect them to be on time.
-Hmm.
-Your hair looks nice like that. I like it.
-She went a little short.
-I like it.
-Well, it is what it is.
Hair grows back.
He would've just turned 31 couple of months ago.
-Same age we were when he was born.
-My God, he might've been married by now.
Might've had kids.
-You play that game, too?
-Uh-hmm.
I'm so alone.
-I'm sorry, Liz. -Oh.
No, no, no, I don't--I,
I didn't mean it like that.
I, I wasn't saying it like that.
I, I-- This, this, this is the right thing.
This is better, I know that.
I just meant I'm, I'm so alone,
I can't stop thinking about him every day.
I don't have any distractions, you know?
-I know.
I don't think there were any distractions
that can change that.
I lied to you, Liz.
When you said that I blamed you for what happened,
and I denied it.
I lied to you.
But I don't anymore.
-[laughs]
-Oh, God.
-Oh. [laughs]
I appreciate that.
-I'm so ashamed of myself.
-Don't be.
-When we go in there,
you know what's gonna happen when we see it.
-Yeah?
-May I hold your hand?
-Yeah.
-Okay.
Okay. [sniffles]
John: Nice jacket! Need a lift? -[chuckles]
Uh, no, I'm not going far.
It's Broadway Limited for a drink.
-That's in Carmichael Village, right?
Jeffrey: Yeah.
-Dumb luck.
I'm headin' down to Washington Square Park.
I could drop you along the way.
Why don't you hop in?
-Come on. Don't be stupid.
It's colder than a witch's itty-bitty titty out there.
-Okay. Thanks, man.
-Yeah, there you go. -Woo.
[engine starts]
Woo. [sighs]
I'm Jeff, by the way. -Hmm.
-What's your name, man?
-I'm Jack. -[chuckles]
Nice to meet you, Jack.
-Nice to meet you, Jeff.
You're real tan there.
Where'd you get it? In the salon or something?
-Nope.
I just moved back here from Florida.
Fort Lauderdale.
-Love Florida.
-Oh, me too.
-I got a place there myself. -Oh, nice.
-A condo. Penthouse actually.
Overlookin' a beach. -Uh-hmm.
-Lots of little juicy peaches down there,
if you know what I mean.
-I do. -[laughs]
-Yeah.
I had a renovation business there with my partner.
-What do you know? I'm in the business myself.
-No.
-How long you there for?
-Long enough to forget how cold it gets here.
-[laughs] [coughs]
-This is nice.
So, uh,
what's your story, Jack?
[chuckles]
You're out cruisin' pretty late, huh?
You go down to Bughouse often?
-Seatbelt.
-Sure. -Safety first.
-Right.
[indistinct song playing on radio]
Singer: * Starting soft and slow *
* Like a small earthquake *
* And when he lets go *
* Half the valley shakes * * It's love, brother Love say *
* Brother Love's * * Travelling Salvation Show *
* Part of the party *
John: Wanna drink?
-Oh, what happened?
-Guess you had too much of that joint.
Fuckin' light in the loafers.
* Hallelujah *
* Brothers *
* Halle-hallelujah * * I said brothers *
-Why'd you do that to me?
* Now you got yourself * * two good hands *
* And when * * your brother is troubled *
* You gotta reach out * * your one hand for him *
* 'Cause that's what * * it's there for *
* And when * * your heart is troubled *
* You gotta reach out * * your other hand *
* Reach it out * * to the man up there *
John: I didn't do anything. You did it to yourself.
* Halle-hallelujah *
[John opens drawer]
-I've got a gun in my hand right now.
* In my heart I know *
John: I just as soon kill you as fuckin' look at you.
* Halle, halle, halle * * halle, halle, halle, halle *
* Love, Brother Love say *
* Brother Love's * * Travelling Salvation Show *
John: Woah, don't leave yet.
-[Jeffrey grunts]
-We're gonna have some fun, you and me.
* Love, Brother Love say *
* Brother Love's * * Travelling Salvation Show *
Patti: What's this gonna solve?
Rosemarie: What do you mean?
-What's this gonna change watching him die?
-Everything.
-Nothing.
Mom, Johnny is gone.
Killing that,
it won't bring him back.
-You saw how he smirked in court
when that judge read Johnny's name.
-I did. Yeah.
Genie: He winked at us.
That last day as he left the courtroom, he winked.
Patti: I know.
Dolores: But he needs to die, you know.
-Why?
-[exhales sharply]
Because he does.
Because--
Well...
justice.
Tim: An eye for an eye.
-Like barbarians.
-If you say so. Punishment fits the crime.
Marko: The state owes us. He owes us.
Kenneth: And honestly, he's not suffering enough.
A needle in the arm?
That's how we put our dogs to sleep.
It's, it's too easy.
Genie: You know, maybe if he died 33 times or something,
maybe then it would be fair.
Dolores: [sighs]
He tortured and murdered our sons.
Rosemarie: Your brother.
Kerry: I get how you're feeling.
But knowing he was alive out there,
even behind bars,
it's like there was a cloud over everything.
Always a reminder.
Genie: Every time I'd read about his paintings,
the fan letters, the endless appeals, it just--
it just ripped me open over and over again.
Marko: Let me push the button.
man: Hmm. Genie: Amen.
Patti: [exhales sharply]
All these years, I,
I was so sure that,
that this would make me feel better.
Now that I'm here tonight, I know that nothing will.
Maybe some wounds aren't meant to heal.
[mournful music playing]
[horn honks]
-Fuck you! Fuck!
Fuck! Fuck you!
[screams]
[dog barking in distance]
woman: Yeah. And I didn't know where I was gonna park.
[indistinct chattering]
-[breathing heavily]
[coughs]
Officer Brinker: So you got into this man's car willingly?
-Yeah.
It was freezing and he offered me a ride.
He seemed nice enough, you know?
-Can you describe the car?
-Uh, black. Two spotlights either side.
Uh...
license plate, it had, um...
[clears throat]
three letters and two numbers, in that order.
It's not a standard issue. It's more official.
Um...
guy said his name was...
James or Jack.
That was it.
-Mr. Rignall, have you ever been arrested
or convicted of a crime?
-No. No. Of course. No. Never.
-And were you on any other drugs the night of the attack?
-Besides chloroform?
-The assailant offered you money at any point?
-Wow. Is this guy Barney fuckin' Fife or what?
I'm not a hustler, if that's what you're getting at.
-We had a fight and he left the condo to go for a walk,
clear his mind. That's all.
-You're acting like I'm a criminal here.
You should be out looking for the fuck right now.
-Hi.
-You came.
-Of course. Of course.
-[sobs]
[somber music playing]
-Okay. I'm gonna, um,
give you the number for our front desk officer.
We'll stay in touch on our end if, uh,
anything comes up.
[***]
[Jeffrey cries]
-[retches]
[coughs]
[exhales sharply]
[flushes water]
[somber music playing]
Ron: What are you doing?
-Shh.
I think I know how to find him.
-This whole idea is crazy.
Does he think this guy's just gonna drive by?
What are the chances?
-Well, he needs this.
He needs... he needs do something.
-I hope it's not too weird with me crashing on your couch.
-Oh, no.
Don't be silly. Where else would you stay?
I'm sorry about Florida.
When I visited you guys, you both seemed so happy.
What happened?
-You did.
I'm not, not blaming you.
Jeff's always dreamed of settling down,
starting a family.
He wants kids.
That's not something that I can give him.
We had a good run,
but it was time to face facts.
Life with me was never gonna be real.
[melancholic music playing]
Moving to Florida was a mistake.
And that's why I told him to come back here,
sort out his priorities.
Call you.
[***]
Rose: Sometimes I feel like when Jeff and I are together,
all he can think about is you.
He won't say it, but I know it's true.
He loves you.
I love you.
We're a family, the three of us.
-[sniffles]
-Right now, we stick together.
[car engine revving]
[music playing on radio]
Ron: Sure it's the Cumberland exit, not Canfield?
Jeffrey: [sighs] Yeah, it's Cumberland.
Ron: Maybe we made a mistake.
Jeffrey: What?
Ron: You were drugged.
Your memory is not as reliable as you think it is.
Let's just let the police do their jobs.
-The last time I called them,
I could hear them snickering in the background.
They don't give a shit about us.
We have to find this guy on our own.
-Whatever, we're vigilantes now.
-Yeah, if that's what it takes. Rose: I agree with Jeff.
-Right. Here we go.
It's just you two against the world, right?
-Like... What the fuck? -Well... I was raped too.
Singer: * Night after night *
* Who treats you right? * * Baby, it's the guitar man *
-A few years ago before you guys moved into the building.
Creep climbed up my fire escape
and came in through the window.
I didn't realize what was happening until it was--
it was too late. I mean,
I would've screamed, but he had a knife against my throat.
-* Miles and miles away *
-He smelled like pine cones.
Felt like hours, but I think it was just a few minutes.
And he pulled up his jeans
and all I could think to do was smile,
pretend that I had enjoyed it.
I... told him he could take a shower
and I offered to make him coffee.
And he actually took me up on that.
And then he just left right through the front door.
Cops never caught the guy.
I doubt they even looked.
[music continues on radio]
Singer: * He can make you love *
-Jeff deserves justice.
We're gonna get this asshole off the streets,
whatever it takes.
-* He will bring you down *
-So nobody goes through what we went through.
-* Somethin' * * keeps him movin'-- *
Lt. Kozenczak: Yeah, a three-week tour of the Midwest
a couple years back to promote the book.
Mom and pop shops, small town, one stoplight.
And every single stop, I mean,
every single one we would run across a guy
who would claim to have an encounter with Gacy.
-How many of them were bullshit?
-No, I know. Most probably.
-All of them probably.
Everybody wants to be part of the story,
as fucked as that is.
-Bill, I did some digging.
-Oh, Magnum P.I. over here.
-From, from 1971 to 1978,
there was an unusual number of young men drowned
in Wisconsin, Michigan, and Kentucky.
-Stop. -Bill,
these are three states that Gacy frequented.
-Just stop.
You see this?
You did this.
You both did this.
This is a victory for you more than anybody else in this room.
This is what it looks like when you do your job right.
You get rewarded with the two most beautiful words
in the English language: case closed.
-My ass.
I pulled eight boys from that house who're still unidentified.
Still buried without names because nobody wants them.
We let them down.
And if what Koz is saying is true,
we let those boys down, too.
-Where does it end, hmm?
You're gonna believe every rumor?
You're gonna chase down every lead?
Where do they bring you?
Right back here to this room.
[indistinct chattering]
[door opens and closes]
[door alarm buzzes]
[door opens]
Lt. Kozenczak: Hey, you're not gonna watch it?
Det. Tovar: When Gacy goes,
he takes everything he knows with him.
-Oh, well, he could stay alive till the end of days
and he's still not gonna tell us anything.
-Maybe, maybe not. -[indistinct computer voice]
[door alarm buzzes]
-Come on. Let's go get a drink.
We'll watch it on the news. -[door shuts close]
-You should stay. -[indistinct radio chatter]
Celebrate a job well done like you did in your book.
-You read my book? Bought my book?
-Checked it outta the library.
[indistinct radio chatter]
[door opens and closes]
[door alarm buzzes]
[men chattering indistinctly]
[John laughing]
John: Let's go inside, boys. Come on.
[car door opens and closes]
[indistinct loud music playing inside the house]
John: Take grass. Yes.
[indistinct song lyrics]
John: Just pick it up. Grass is grass is grass.
[chuckles]
No one's gonna prefer a juke.
[indistinct song lyrics]
John: You know, right? man: Oh, oh.
John: Get it. Get it. Get it.
[indistinct chattering, men laughing]
[indistinct radio chatter] Jeffrey: John Gacy.
This is the guy.
-You know stealing mail's a federal offense
and you can go to jail for that?
-You got his license plate number, his name, his address.
Go arrest him.
-I can't.
Norwood Park is outta our jurisdiction.
You can take it up with Cook County.
-I live here. I was abducted here.
-Hands are tied.
-What, because it's a butt fuck between two faggots?
-Jeff, stop. That's enough. -No, no.
I wanna hear him say it.
-Mr. Rignall, you can calm down
or you can get the hell outta here.
[officers indistinct chattering]
Jeffrey: They're fuckin' pigs.
-I'm very sorry. He's, he's been through a lot.
Hey, you need to get it together.
-You need to get off of me. Rose: Hi.
-Get off. -Fred is buried in discovery.
I came as fast as I could.
What the hell happened?
-Jeff's trying to get arrested.
-What the fuck you've been doing here anyway?
Shouldn't you be flying away back to Florida right now?
Isn't that what you do when the weather gets rough?
A real fucking snowbird, huh?
-Fuck you. -Let's calm down, all right?
-[sighs]
-Jeff's just fragile right now, huh?
Maybe it's not the worst idea for you to find your own place
just for a little while.
Fred has a spare room. I can--
I can ask him tomorrow, okay?
-God. You really get off on this, huh?
-What? -When we're at our worst,
woo, here comes Rose from 4C to the rescue.
-I'm trying to help you.
-Sure you're not trying to mark your territory?
-You're the one who's been talking about a future together.
-You're the one that wants to be a perfect little wife
for a fucking fruitcake. How pathetic is that?
-Stop it. -You know what?
If it wasn't for you,
I would never left the apartment that night.
-Fuck you.
-[scoffs] Not anymore.
-I'm done.
[clock ticking]
[dog howling in distance]
[clicks answering machine]
Amber [on answering machine]: Mr. Amirante,
this is Amber Robinson with CNN. I'm call...
automated voice: Message deleted.
Reggie [on machine]: Hello, this is Reggie Lomax.
I'm calling for NBC News...
automated voice: Message deleted.
[clicks]
John [on machine]: Hey, Sam.[chuckles]
You remember way back right before Sammy, Jr. was born,
you rang me up about, uh,
turnin' a guest room into a nursery.
And, uh, I was just--
I was thinking about that the other day.
He had a changin' area.
Built-in table with drawers.
It could double as a toy chest when he got older.
I know your wife wanted somethin' blue,
but Sherwin-Williams had this Sunbeam Yellow.
It was real nice.
Woulda brightened up the space a bit.
Anyway,
I was just wonderin'...
why you never went with me.
I don't know who it was you went with...
but you and me both know...
that I woulda done it better.
Heck of a lot better.
Not, not that it matters much now but...
I was just curious, that's all.
Well, uh, my ride's here. Gotta go.
[call disconnects]
automated voice: Message deleted.
[door opens, footsteps approach]
official: Time to go.
[all chattering]
-Should we bring our stuff with us or leave them here?
-Bring them. We're loading up the bus.
-We have to take the bus to the execution site?
-Execution's over. You're going home.
-What do you mean?
-He's dead. -[woman gasps]
-Follow me to the bus. Rosemarie: No.
We were told to wait in here
and then we were gonna be brought out to watch.
-I don't know what to say. -This is bullshit.
-We need to talk to the warden or anyone in charge.
-They're all outside.
-No.
[mournful music playing]
-[softly] I'm sorry.
-What are we doing here?
What are we doing here?
[all sobbing]
[indistinct chattering]
[speaking indistinctly]
[somber music playing]
Bill [on TV]: There was a minor technical issue
which led to a brief delay.
-[reporters clamoring] reporter 1: Did Gacy suffer?
Bill: All told, Mr. Gacy was alive
for about 18 extra minutes than he was entitled to.
reporter 2: Some say that the death penalty is a cruel
and unusual punishment.
Bill: There was nothing cruel or unusual
about the way Gacy died.
Cruel and unusual is the way those kids died.
He got a much easier death than many of his victims.
In my opinion, he got an easier death than he deserved.
[***]
newscaster [on radio]: Gacy's long-awaited execution
here in Joliet is not expected to trigger
a wave of other executions in Illinois.
Only four condemned inmates have been on death row
longer than Gacy and their cases are tangled
in a web of legal appeals.
One hundred fifty others are waiting in line behind him.
female newscaster: Checking other news this morning.
Illinois Senator Carol Moseley Braun
wants $600 million to repair and rehab local schools.
Peeling paint, broken fixtures,
and exposed wires are problems...
[switches radio off]
[somber music playing]
[***]
[inaudible]
[no audio]