The Pelican Brief
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1:12:00
... wade in, the joint ventures...
1:12:02
...limited partnerships and corporate
associations...

1:12:06
...form an impenetrable maze
that makes Mattiece invisible.

1:12:10
Luckily for the Green Fund's lawsuit...
1:12:12
... the heart of the new oil reserve
is near a natural refuge for waterfowl:

1:12:17
Osprey, egrets, pelicans,
ducks, cranes, geese.

1:12:22
The pelican becomes the hero.
1:12:24
After 30 years of contamination
by DDT and other pesticides...

1:12:29
... the Louisiana brown pelican is
on the brink of extinction.

1:12:33
Green Fund seizes the bird
and enlists experts...

1:12:36
...from around the country
to testify on its behalf.

1:12:39
It takes 7 years for the pelican suit
to go to trial in Lake Charles.

1:12:44
The 3-man jury, caring less
about the pelicans than jobs...

1:12:48
... votes in favor of Mattiece.
1:12:51
But the judge rules to keep the
injunction against drilling because...

1:12:55
...he thinks Green Fund has proven
its point about the pelican...

1:12:59
...a federally-protected species,
and that it will appeal.

1:13:03
What's the lawsuit's status?
1:13:05
From the trial level...
1:13:07
...it will be appealed to the Court
of Appeals in New Orleans in a month.

1:13:12
Any idea what the court will do?
1:13:14
It could be reversed.
1:13:17
Then the fun starts. If either side
is unhappy with the court...

1:13:21
... they can appeal
to the Supreme Court.

1:13:23
From today, how long would it take
for a decision by the Supreme Court?

1:13:28
Anywhere from 3 to 5 years.
1:13:30
Rosenberg would have died.
1:13:32
But another President could be
in the White House when he died.

1:13:37
So if you're Mattiece...
1:13:38
...and you don 't mind killing
a couple of Supremes...

1:13:42
...now's the time to kill them,
when you can predict their replacement.

1:13:45
But why Jensen?
1:13:47
He shared one piece
of common ground with Rosenberg:

1:13:50
Protecting the environment.

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