CONFLICT/IMPORTANT EVENTS
With no money Dick and Perry head back West in search for work. As they
pass through Texas they pick up two hitchhikers, a young boy and his lame
grandfather. Dick and Perry get into an argument over what to do with
their two passengers when suddenly the young boy asks Dick to stop the
car. The men are amazed at the boys ability to find the cans in the snow.
Dewey receives a call that a fellow police officer spots the license plate
number of the stolen truck in Las Vegas, after Perry picks up mail from
Mexico City to his old hotel. In the police station Dewey, Nye, Duntz, and
Roy are preparing to question Dick and Perry. The two men believe they
are being questioned for passing ‘hot checks’.
CONFLICTS CONT.
Nye and Church question Dick. Dick tells them a bogus story of him and
Perry going to Fort Scott, the failure of locating Perry’s sister, and the
night spent with the prostitutes. Dick is proud in memorizing every place
and address they went to. However, Nye comes to the point where he
accuses Dick of the murders. Dick denies any involvement with the
murders but is visibly shaken up.
Duntz and Dewey question Perry. They come to the same conclusion as
Nye and Church. Perry becomes upset as he lies in the cell, as does Dick.
The next day, Dick breaks down when he is shown photographs of the
crime scene. Dick blames the murders, the actuall killings, on Perry.
CONFLICT CONT.
Perry doesn’t confess until Dewey tells him the
story about killing the black man. The story is
something only Dick would know of which proves
that Dick confessed. Perry then gives a full, detailed
confession. He ends his confession with saying that
He shot the two downstairs(Mr. Clutter and Kenyon)
and Dick shot the two upstairs(Nancy and Mrs.
Clutter)
CHARACTERS
Wendle Meier(assistant sheriff)
Josephine Meier(Wife)
Don Cullivan(Perry’s old army friend)
Floyd Wells
CONFLICT/IMPORTANT EVENTS
While in Garden City Jail Dick makes a makeshift “shiv” and hides it under his
bed but Sherriff Meier finds it. Dick is portrayed as laid back and easy going as
he is reading books while in his cell.
Perry on the other hand dreams of his big yellow parrot coming to rescue him
from jail.(Man vs. Self)
The trial begins. There is a suggestion of change of venue by the state-appointed
counsel but are denied. The jury is selected on the first day as well. Perry pays
little attention as he reflects on the autobiography that the psychologist asked
him to write. Perry writes about the traumatic events in his life, Dick does the
same but is more casual. Dick pays some attention to the jury selection.
CONFLICTS CONT.
The next day, the state begins to present their
case. Witnesses are called to the stand. This is when
the prosecutors bring in Floyd Wells to testify
against Dick and Perry. Dewey is the last witness to
testify as his testimony is the most valuable.
When the defense forms their case the only
witnesses they have are the psychologist which
tested Dick and Perry while at the jail.