Yeah, when I was a kid I used to want to be a detective all the time b — The Thin Blue Line

"Our criminal justice system, on paper, is the best in the world… but were human, and so we make mistakes. If you execute and execute and execute, at some point you will execute an innocent man."

"The Thin Blue Line was a project done by Errol Morris and though it helped me by taking my case to the public, I could not win my freedom in a theater. It had to be achieved in a courtroom. After my release, Mr. Morris felt he had the exclusive rights to my life story. He did not. Therefore, it became necessary to file an injunction to sort out any legal questions on the issue. The matter was resolved before having to go before a judge. Mr. Morris reluctantly conceded that I had the sole rights to my own life. I did not sue Errol Morris for any money or any percentages of The Thin Blue Line, though the media portrayed it that way."

"I always tried very hard — every judge I know of does — to not show emotion on the bench. The reason: if you do show emotion, the jury might take it that youre favoring on side or another. So you try to remain passive, emotionless, objective. I do have to admit that in the Adams case — and Ive never really said this — Doug Mulders final argument was one Id never heard before: about the "thin blue line" of police that separate the public from anarchy. I have to conceded that my eyes kind of welled up when I heard that. It did get to me emotionally, but I dont think I showed it."

"He went over my testimony with me, pretty extensively, instructed me how I should testify, et cetera, how I should answer certain questions, things of this nature. Thats what you call "coaching the witness", you know. Lets get this evidence in the spectrum where its going to be most effective. At the same time, I didnt really ponder on it, but he was deceiving the jury, see. He wanted to deceive Justice. Thats why I think that statute with the scales, Justice… what is she called? I dont know that she called. Shes got that blindfold on. We dont see what goes on behind the closed doors."

"He, of course, almost overacted his innocence: he protested he hadnt done anything, couldnt imagine why we were bringing him in. He didnt fight or he didnt resist. He just protested his innocence."

"You have a D.A., he doesnt talk about when they convict you or how they convict you, hes talking about how hes going to kill you. He dont give a damn if youre innocent. He dont give a damn if youre guilty. Hes talking about killing you. You get numb. You get…Its like a bad dream. You want to wake up but you cant do it."

"In the life of the mass-order, the culture of the generality tends to conform to the demands of the average human being. Spirituality decays through being diffused among the masses when knowledge is impoverished in every possible way by rationalisation until it becomes accessible to the crude understanding of all."

"I say this to you because we Spaniards are a forgetful people, because we are used to living for the moment, because we do not look back, because we do not know how to see the chain of heroes, because we do not contemplate the sum of sacrifices."

"Sharon Tate was my best friend. Once, we were roommates. She introduced me to my husband. She was the godmother to my baby daughter who is named for her. In the six years time that I knew her, she never said an unkind word about anyone."

"Long time to see. (VS: Tapion)"

"Most mathematicians prove what they can, von Neumann proves what he wants." Once in a discussion about the rapid growth of mathematics in modern times, von Neumann was heard to remark that whereas thirty years ago a mathematician could grasp all of mathematics, that is impossible today. Someone asked him: "What percentage of all mathematics might a person aspire to understand today?" Von Neumann went into one of his five-second thinking trances, and said: "About 28 percent."

"Children must be free to think in all directions irrespective of the peculiar ideas of parents who often seal their childrens minds with preconceived prejudices and false concepts of past generations. Unless we are very careful, very careful indeed, and very conscientious, there is still great danger that our children may turn out to be the same kind of people we are."