An American Crime

Shirley Baniszewski:
I thought we were just teaching her.

Sylvia Likens:
Reverend Bill used to say, "For every situation God always has a plan." I guess I'm still trying to figure out what that plan was.

Gertrude Baniszewski:
There are things in life we have to do, whether we like it or not.

Leroy K. New:
Are you scared?

Gertrude Baniszewski:
I've been scared about a lot of things for a long time.

Shirley Baniszewski:
Don't worry Jennie. Mamma's just teaching her.

Gertrude Baniszewski:
[preparing to write the tattoo onto Sylvia's belly] Ricky... she came back from juvenile! Started stirring up trouble again... Johnny hold her!

Sylvia Likens:
No, please, please!

Gertrude Baniszewski:
Keep her still!

Marie Baniszewski:
If you move, it'll only be messy.

Gertrude Baniszewski:
[gives Marie a lighter and a safety pin] Light that.

Sylvia Likens:
No! No! No! Please! No! No! Please! Please!

Gertrude Baniszewski:
Stop it!

Shirley Baniszewski:
You got it right, mama?

Gertrude Baniszewski:
Make sure it's hot!

Sylvia Likens:
I'm sorry! I'm sorry!

Gertrude Baniszewski:
You liar!

Sylvia Likens:
Please stop, please no! Please! [Marie gives Gertrude the safety pin]

Gertrude Baniszewski:
You branded my daughters... now I have to brand you.

Gertrude Baniszewski:
Who's in charge here?

Johnny Baniszewski:
You are, mama.

Gertrude Baniszewski:
You know what it's like to be sick, Sylvia. I've been sick for so long, too. I can't... discipline my kids they was I should. I punish them I know, but... sometimes with my medicine I gets so I don't know what I'm doing. [begins to cry]

Gertrude Baniszewski:
And I care for them so much. Paula, the thing is... Paula's a lot like me. I had her when I was just about your age. Then Stephanie. Then all the others. Then John left... And here I am on medicine, doing whatever I can to keep my family together. I want something better for Paula... There has to be something better... And I need to protect my children... [cries]

Gertrude Baniszewski:
Do you understand that? You kids... you're all I've got... Thank you, Sylvia. Thank you for understanding, thank you.

Sylvia Likens:
She sacrificed me to protect her children, and she sacrificed her children to protect herself.

Ricky Hobbs:
[sees her "escaping"] Sylvia.

Sylvia Likens:
[sobbing, whimpering and cringing as he comes near her] No, no, please. Please don't, please.

Ricky Hobbs:
No, no, no, I'm not gonna hurt you. I swear to God, I promise, I promise. Look, I'm sorry. I didn't know what the hell I was doing, all right? Look, you gotta believe me, please. Please. You wanna get out of here? You wanna go? Let's go. [helps Sylvia up] Come on. You're all right. [they go to the car and Ricky gets in after helping Sylvia in] Where are we going?

Sylvia Likens:
[slurred from exhaustion and suffering] I don't know.

Ricky Hobbs:
Do you want to go to the police? We can tell them everything.

Sylvia Likens:
I gotta get to my mom.

Ricky Hobbs:
Where's your mom at?

Sylvia Likens:
[sounding close to tears] I think she's in Porridge.

Ricky Hobbs:
We're going to Porridge.

Sylvia Likens:
[after they've been lashed, Sylvia sits down next to Jenny, hoping to comfort her] Come on, Jenny. It's not like we've never had a spanking before.

[Sylvia puts her hand on her sister's shoulder]

Sylvia Likens:
That check's gonna come along, I swear.

[When Jenny doesn't answer, Sylvia puts her lips to her sister's head and strokes her hair]

Stephanie Baniszewski:
What was Momma so mad about yesterday?

Sylvia Likens:
You heard. I told everyone Paula was a slut.

Stephanie Baniszewski:
That's not true, is it?