# Probably simple "Untouchables" point

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/probably-simple-untouchables-point/158351>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [March 1, 2003, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/probably-simple-untouchables-point/158351 "2003-03-01T06:24:21Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![jk1245](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/49beb7/32.png) [@jk1245](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jk1245)\
**Post date:** [March 1, 2003, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/probably-simple-untouchables-point/158351/1 "2003-03-01T06:24:21Z")

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Just watched DePalma’s “The Untouchables” again. Pretty good movie and all that, but it reminded me of one point that I never quite got. At the end, when the judge switches the juries in the Capone case, the following (parphrased) dialogue takes place.

> [@](#):
>
> DA: What’d you say to the judge?  
> Ness: I told him him name was in the ledger too.  
> DA: His name wasn’t in the ledger.

Well, was it or wasn’t it? Did Ness just assume the judge was crooked even though he didn’t have any proof?

I am probably making this way more complicated than it need be, but any help for my feeble little mind would be appreciated.

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**Author:** ![boo\_boo\_bear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a88e4f/32.png) [@boo\_boo\_bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boo_boo_bear)\
**Post date:** [March 1, 2003, 7:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/probably-simple-untouchables-point/158351/2 "2003-03-01T07:17:03Z")

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My take on it (and God knows I’ve watched the movie at least two dozen times) is that the judge was crooked - that most of the judges were under Capone’s jurisdiction at some point - and that Ness just made a lucky guess.

-bbb-