Page - 92 - in JRFM - Journal Religion Film Media, Volume 02/02

92 | Alyda Faber www.jrfm.eu 2016, 2/2, 69–98 also note the judge’s rationalising in this case with the aim of doing what he thinks is in the “manifest best interest of this boy” (JC 79). (Even if the judge may be right.) In the democratic noise evoked in this sequence, Robert’s presence has au- thority, however calmly and authoritatively the law speaks in opposition to his pleading and his distress. The judge and lawyers argue for a pragmatic resolu- tion to the case, rather than an investigation of Robert’s contention that his co-accused threatened to kill him if he did not drive the man to the location of two armed robberies. Asked if he wishes to speak, Robert says: All I can say sir is I’m innocent, and I feel like I’ve been trapped. Is there any justice, isn’t there any justice for me? Must I either spend six months in the training school for something I didn’t do or take the chance that somebody’s gonna trap me again and put me in jail for twenty years? I have no choice, either way I’m trapped. (JC 82) Robert has no choice but to submit to the guilty plea on two counts of robbery with a deadly weapon, but he does raise unanswerable questions about jus- Fig. 10: Film still, Juvenile Court (Frederick Wiseman, US 1973), Disc 2, 00:28:20. Fig. 11: Film still, Juvenile Court (Frederick Wiseman, US 1973), Disc 2, 00:28:56.