Matlock (1986–1995): Season 1, Episode 12 - Santa Claus - full transcript
At Christmas time, a heartless businessman wants to evict the residents of an apartment building he owns, he tangles with a resident who just happens to be working as a street Santa. Later a man wearing a Santa suit enters the businessman's office building and kills him. Later someone enters the Santa's apartment and tangles with him. Later three of the businessman's people find him dead. Ben offers to defend the Santa. He suspects that one of the associates is the killer cause a piece of evidence against the Santa was found near the body and he believes who ever broke into the Santa's apartment took it and planted it.
For he's a jolly good fellow
For he's a jolly good fellow
For he's a jolly good fellow
Which nobody can deny
Which nobody can deny
Which nobody can deny
For he's a jolly good fellow
Which nobody can deny
Three cheers for Professor Tate.
- Hip, hip, hooray!
- Hooray!
- Hip, hip, hooray!
- Hooray!
- Hip, hip, hooray!
- Hooray!
What on earth have you done?
Blow out the candles
and make a wish.
Well, I should be
congratulating you, Lane.
Your grades are up remarkably.
Well, Professor Tate,
I've been applying myself.
Sometimes I'm happy
to be proven wrong.
Even about you.
Well, we've all been
applying ourselves, professor,
but your class is so fascinating,
hardly seems like work.
If it's hardly like work, then you have
missed the true fascination--
Professor, a nightcap.
- Oh, that's enough. Billings.
- No, no, no.
Professor, now tonight, tonight,
you can't order around
these poor, defenceless students
or your overworked teaching assistant.
Tonight, professor, let us show you
how we really feel about you.
Professor...
...you have no idea
how important you are to us.
Or how you've changed our lives.
Here's to you, sir.
I rarely succumb
to such blatant flattery,
but this time, I'll make an exception.
Here's to all the good friends
that I've made here.
Cheers.
Well, I think it is time for--
- We've actually done it.
- Shut up, Wallace.
Easy, easy. The party's just begun.
- It's okay.
- Now let's go.
What the hell is going on?
You hit my dog!
You lousy drunk.
You're gonna pay for this.
You're gonna pay.
Here's an Englishman
For he is
an Englishman
Hello?
Wait a minute.
Wait-- hold it, hold it, hold it.
Professor, professor!
I'll be right there.
- Ben. Ben Matlock.
- Professor Tate, what happened?
What happened is they've got me
locked up in here
like some common criminal.
Well, professor, if they think
you've committed a crime,
they'll lock you up
whether common or not.
But I haven't committed any crime.
Not really.
Professor, what are you doing here?
I don't really know.
They booked me for driving
under the influence of alcohol,
minor property damage.
Apparently, I struck a dog.
Were you driving
under the influence?
Well, I had a few glasses
of champagne.
A few?
I don't remember what happened, Ben,
so I can't--
But obviously,
all these charges are mere allegations,
and unless and until they are proven
in a court of law,
my presumption of innocence
remains intact.
That's right.
Morning, Frank.
- Ben, you're up early.
- The early bird gets the worm.
Frank, I'd like you to meet
my law professor from Harvard.
Right now, he's a visiting
professor out here at Baxter.
Lieutenant Daniels,
Professor Erskine Tate.
You're the reason
I missed breakfast, Professor Tate.
How is that, officer?
I'll explain in my office,
if you don't mind.
This is the report from forensic stains,
I went over your vehicle.
They found blood and human hair
on the front fender
that matched samples
taken from the victim.
Also fragments of headlight glass
taken from the victim's clothes.
- Victim?
- Victim.
Are you suggesting the professor
hit somebody?
And ran, as in hit and run.
That's impossible.
I've never even had one citation
for a moving violation.
Last night, sir,
at about ten minutes after 1 1 ,
one James Donaldson,
a postal employee,
was run down by a car
at the intersection of Central and 34th.
And guess what?
It was Mr. Donaldson's hair and blood
that was found
on Professor Tate's car.
Here is the report.
Surely you must know
this is all circumstantial evidence.
Oh, really, professor?
Young man,
I have forgotten more
about evidentiary procedure
than you could possibly imagine,
so you can save your intimidation
for somebody else.
Frank, could I have a word
with my client?
Okay, Ben.
Professor...
...you're not in a classroom now.
So you're gonna have
to behave yourself.
I did not hit anyone.
This is all circumstantial.
- And besides, he is offensive.
- He can be a lot worse than that.
Now calm down,
unless you want to be
the oldest man
in the Georgia State road gang.
Frank, you know, the professor
has a point about circumstantialities.
- Now, if that's all you've got on him--
- Not quite, Ben.
Not quite.
All right, gentlemen.
Take your places
in front of the numbers on the floor.
No talking.
Face front.
Good.
- Hi there, Mr. Gaines.
- Over there.
They can't see you, so point
the gentleman out for me.
Okay.
And take your time. I wanna be sure.
That's-- That's him.
He's the second one from the right.
With the trench coat and hat on.
Yeah, I'm positive.
- You are positive?
- Yeah. Yeah.
- Well, thank you very much, sir.
- Okay.
That's it, Charlie.
You wanna move them out?
All right, Ben. I'm booking
your brilliant legal mind for homicide.
I couldn't have done what they said.
I would've remembered.
You've apparently forgotten everything
I ever taught you in my classes.
Your approach is wrong.
The defence must develop
its own attack.
Questions like these:
Was this street adequately lit?
Was this postman in a crosswalk?
How was the victim dressed?
Was there a causal connection
between the driving and the death?
The DA's gonna have
some questions of his own.
Like, why did your station wagon
have traces of the victim's clothing
and blood on the bumper?
How much had you been drinking?
Why is it you can't remember
how your car ended up
on someone's lawn
in the middle of the night?
Questions like that.
Must you do that?
It helps me think.
I can't concentrate
while you're playing that thing.
I can't concentrate without it.
Matlock, if you please.
Professor, this isn't a classroom.
Young lady, I am trying to focus
on the issues at hand.
You can call me Charlene,
and the issue at hand is whether or not
you ran this man down.
I did not run this man down.
Are you sure?
I...
l-- I couldn't have.
If you don't remember,
how can you be so certain?
Your job is to defend me,
young lady, not lecture me.
I would never presume to do that.
Be in my office if you need me.
Good thing she doesn't work
for the DA, huh?
Ben...
I am terribly sorry about
what happened to that poor man,
but somehow, I would remember
if I'd hit someone.
Everybody wants
to believe that, Erskine.
Nobody more than I.
Why don't you go home
and get some sleep?
Yeah. Yeah.
And naturally, I won't discuss
the case with anyone.
Good idea.
I know, Daddy.
He's your favourite professor
and I ought to go easy on him.
No, I think he deserved it.
It's a lot like the story about the mute.
You gotta get his attention first.
Now that you have it,
maybe you could take it a little easy.
- He's in a difficult position.
- I know, Daddy.
Its just that all my life, I've heard
what a wonderful teacher he was.
You never told me
he was such a pain.
Erskine can sour on you,
but without him, I would never
have gotten through law school.
I tried to quit once.
He threatened
to beat the hell out of me.
I owe him a lot.
Well, do you have any clues
as to how to defend him?
Not yet.
One thing rings the right chimes.
I've had dinner with him a few times.
If he's had a drink or two,
he doesn't drive 20 miles an hour.
It's more like ten.
According to the police report, whoever
hit that fellow was doing around 70.
I think we should
keep an open mind.
Especially me.
If it rings the right chimes.
- Morning.
- Morning.
Fill her up.
I hear you had a bad accident
around here the other night.
Yeah, I saw it.
- No kidding.
- Yeah, I was just closing.
Matter of fact,
I'd have been almost gone,
only a customer came in late. Yeah.
Bus pulled up over there on the corner.
This guy gets out
and starts to cross the road.
Along come this blue station wagon
going like hell.
Hits the guy and he lands over there.
- You saw the whole thing?
- Yeah, yeah.
Yeah, I was standing right here.
I ran over to help him,
but he was dead already.
This customer,
you think he saw it too?
Well, by the time I turned around,
he was gone.
You know how some people
don't like to get involved.
- Did you recognize him?
- No, not really.
He left.
But if he hadn't come in, well,
then I'd have missed the whole thing.
It must have been terrible
seeing a man get hit like that.
Oh, awful.
Do I know you?
We-- We've never met.
Could have sworn
I'd seen you before.
But you're not sure.
- A lot of folks come in here.
- That's what I thought.
Yeah.
He finally found his hat,
which was on the piano,
drank some more champagne,
and staggered out into the night.
And that's the last you saw him
that night, Professor Billings?
No, I saw him cross the parking lot,
get into his car and drive away.
You mean that you saw that he was
intoxicated and you let him drive?
Well, I tried to argue him out of it,
but I couldn't.
He's a very stubborn man, you know.
I heard him arguing with Mr. Billings.
He was trying to talk him
out of another drink,
but he insisted on having one.
And about what time was this?
I'm not sure, but I know he was
pretty drunk by the time he finally left.
I remember he didn't know
where his hat was,
but it was there on the piano,
right in front of him.
So you were there when he left.
Oh, yeah.
I remember he couldn't even
find his hat,
and it was right in front of his nose.
- Really?
- Yeah.
On the piano.
Then we walked him outside,
figuring maybe, you know,
the fresh air would help him.
- Who is ''we''?
- Me and Mr. Billings.
Did you see him get into his car?
Yeah.
Did anybody else see him?
The guard in the parking lot.
He must've seen him.
- Why is that?
- Well, I mean, he was there on duty.
- Here you go.
- Thank you.
Where's the cream for my coffee?
They didn't have any real cream,
just some of that white oily stuff
in the little container.
- You know I like cream in my coffee.
- I'm sorry, professor.
I can't drink this without cream.
Make you feel better
if I don't drink mine?
- Morning, Ben.
- Morning, Tyler.
This is the police forensics report
on the Tate case.
If you ask me, it's open, shut
and locked up.
Look at it. Am I right or am I right?
- Ask him.
- Who him?
Professor Tate.
This is Tyler Hudson,
our investigator.
Naturally, professor,
when I referred to the case
as being open and shut
and locked up,
I was just referring
to the prevailing theory.
And as you know,
disproving prevailing theory
is the name of our game.
- Does he always talk this much?
- Yeah.
We're just checking the bus schedule
and clocking some of the arrivals.
Most of them seem to be on time.
Was the bus late that night?
As a matter of fact, it was.
Ten minutes late.
The victim was a postal employee.
That was his regular bus, let him off at
this corner every night at 1 1 , except--
Except the night he was killed.
The bus was ten minutes late.
So what?
Tell him about
the second eyewitness.
I was coming to that, professor.
Tyler, is there anything in the police
report about a second eyewitness?
No.
Well, there was one.
Pulled into that gas station,
then pulled out after the man was hit.
I'd sure like to talk to him.
Ben, I don't mean
to tell you your business,
but in this case,
one eyewitness is enough.
Let's go.
Where we going?
To see a man about a dog.
Well, nobody at home.
- There's the tyre tracks.
- Yeah, the car stopped right here.
Yeah, it just stopped.
I mean, there's no skid marks.
The man is supposed to be speeding.
Why didn't he just run into the house?
- You know, I don't know.
- Neither do I.
Did the forensics report
say anything about hair
or traces of the dog on the car?
No, just human hair
and human blood.
This could be significant.
The police may have
just missed a clue.
- I need to talk to that other witness.
- Well, what do you have on him?
Well, the gas-station attendant said he
was driving a red '86 Chevy Camaro.
- A licence-plate number?
- He didn't get it.
That's no problem. There's about
half a million of those cars
throughout the country.
It has chrome valve covers
and side pipes.
Gas-station attendant
knows his cars.
Says there can't be many of them.
- Check the custom shops.
- Check the custom shops. I gotcha.
What are we gonna do?
We do nothing.
- We stonewall.
- You lied to us.
You told us we were gonna
sideswipe a bus
get Tate tossed out of school.
You never said anything
about killing anybody.
- It was an accident.
- It was no accident.
You set this whole thing up.
You knew all along.
- You used us.
- Shut up.
Now it's too late.
The only thing that will save
your necks is if Tate is convicted.
Hi. Sorry to barge in,
but I did have one last question.
Oh, yes. Of course.
Now, originally, there were
a dozen students at the party.
That's right.
Why did the others leave?
They all had papers to complete.
- And you two had finished yours?
- Oh, yes.
No wonder
they're your star students.
Well, thank you.
And then when I came into Billing's
office, they all looked very, very guilty.
I heard them arguing about something
as I came down the hall,
but I couldn't quite make out
what it was.
What else?
Not much.
I did interview the campus security
guard who said that he saw Tate leave.
- Did he get a good look at him?
- Not really.
He was about 50 yards away.
He did say
the professor waved good night.
From 50 yards away?
Yeah. Why?
Did he say whether or not
he had on his glasses?
Actually, he said he wasn't.
Erskine can't see 50 yards
without his glasses.
So what do you think?
I don't think the professor
was driving that car.
- We've been subpoenaed.
- Well, of course you have.
- You're a witness.
- What about you?
Well, not yet, but I'm sure
they'll get around to it.
Excuse me. Excuse me.
I'm looking for
Professor Tate's office.
- Mr. Matlock?
- That's right.
James Billings.
This is Eric Lane and Wesley Wallace.
Oh, yes, yes, yes.
- Which way is his office?
- Well, he hasn't been in recently.
I know. He asked me
to pick up a few things for him.
Well, if you have the time,
we'd like to hear about the case.
- You sure I'm not interrupting?
- Oh, not at all.
Well...
You know, Erskine's been asking me
to come over here and lecture.
I just never found the time. To tell you
the truth, I don't know what I'd say.
Just what is your line of defence?
Well...
...I've always felt that the wrong
Holmes is taught in law school.
It ought to be Sherlock,
not Oliver Wendell.
The most important thing
he ever said:
''lf you eliminate the impossible,
whatever's left, no matter
how improbable, must be the truth.''
Well, how would that
apply to the Tate case?
Well, first off, I try to touch on things
that don't add up.
Like the fact that his car
never actually hit the dog,
why the car stopped where it did,
things like that.
I'd try to raise the question
in the jury's mind
that maybe, just maybe, Professor
Tate wasn't driving the car at all.
- He was identified in the lineup.
- Oh, I know, I know.
And he was seen leaving the party.
The campus guard said
he waved to him from 50 yards away.
Hell, Erskine can't see 50 yards.
He wouldn't have waved.
Fascinating.
Yeah. Well, if I can prove that,
then I'll get into the improbable.
What's that?
Oh, I haven't narrowed that down yet,
but let's speculate,
just for the purpose of conjecture.
There was a conspiracy.
What kind of conspiracy?
Well, let's say, for whatever reason,
the three of you
wanted to get rid of Professor Tate.
Us?
Just for the purposes of discussion,
let's see if I can build
a case on supposition.
My daughter interviewed
the three of you
and you all three recalled
the same details.
Now, it's very difficult
to get eyewitnesses, three,
to recall the same details
unless they've been coached.
But as lawyers, they're already trained
in observing and recalling.
Oh, of course,
of course, of course.
But if I were
to start with that thought,
that the three of you wanted
to get rid of Professor Tate,
then I'd have to raise
certain questions.
For instance,
what if you drugged his champagne?
What if one of you put on
his hat and coat,
walked to the car, waved good night
to the guard?
What if you then
drove around to the back
and the other two brought
Professor Tate to the car,
and you drove that car
to the intersection
and waited for that bus to show up?
What if the bus was late?
Then one of you would have
to drive across to the service station
and keep the owner there so that
he didn't go home, stayed open,
so that he could be
that all-important eyewitness.
It's just conjecture.
Well, I know you've got more important
things to do than to listen to me,
so I'll see you in court.
Where did you say
the professor's office--?
- Oh, yes. Third door on the left.
- Thank you.
Morning, Ben.
Hi, Lloyd.
This is a tough one for you.
You think you know someone,
you find out you don't.
I know him.
I've come prepared.
- Where's the professor?
- Oh, Erskine's late for everything.
There he is.
I'm keeping an open mind.
- Ben, I've got good news.
- Yeah.
Sodderfield v.
the State of Missouri.
I'd almost forgotten about this case,
but it has an important precedent in it.
Erskine--
And don't forget
Hammerville v. Young.
- Erskine--
- And more importantly,
Wilson v. Davenport.
Erskine.
This is not moot court at Harvard.
This is a jury trial.
I bring a bunch of case law in here
and confuse this jury,
you'll be up the creek
without a shadow of a paddle.
Save it for appeal.
- It's that bad, isn't it?
- I'd practice looking innocent.
Well, it's nice to see
I have a cheering section.
Oh, they wouldn't miss this
for the world.
Yep.
Gang's all here.
Mr. Gaines, you heard the screech
of brakes, and then what?
Then I saw the man
get out of the car,
and look down at the guy he hit
and jumped back in and drove off.
Can you identify that man
that drove off?
Yes, I believe so.
If he's in this courtroom,
would you please point him out?
It looked like Mr. Tate.
Indicating the defendant.
No further questions.
Your Honour, before I examine
my next witness, I would like to move
that Mr. Wesley Wallace
be excluded from the courtroom.
Granted.
Mr. Wallace,
would you wait outside, please?
Why don't you go inside
and watch the show?
I'm a witness in this case.
You are a witness
in Ben Matlock's case?
Yeah.
What?
That man is a devil in the courtroom.
I have seen him cut up witnesses
like a surgeon.
How do you know
so much about him?
He ruined my brother's life.
How?
He sent him up,
and for all things, perjury.
Now, Mr. Gaines,
you were standing here that night,
and the accident took place over here.
- Is that correct?
- Yes, it is.
Mr. Gaines,
the man who got out of the car...
- What was he wearing?
- A trench coat and hat.
When you identified Professor Tate
in the lineup, what was he wearing?
Trench coat and tweed hat.
Did you recognize him?
No.
So would you say
that we have clearly established
that someone wearing a trench coat
and a tweed hat got out of that car?
Objection.
Calls for supposition.
- Your Honour--
- Sustained.
The record already shows
the witness said it looked like Mr. Tate.
Now,
what time do you close up at night?
Eleven o'clock.
But the accident took place
at ten minutes past eleven.
- Why were you late closing?
- Objection. Relevancy.
Your Honour, I am about
to establish relevancy.
Overruled.
Proceed, Mr. Matlock.
Why were you open late,
Mr. Gaines?
As I was closing, a man came in.
His engine was conking out
so I took a look.
Oh, so you and the driver of this car
saw the accident.
Well, I don't know what he saw.
l-- I ran into the street
to see about the guy who was hit
and I turned around and yelled
to the man in the car to call for help.
He took off.
Could you identify this man?
No, sir.
Was there anything special
about the car
that would enable you
to recognize it again?
Yeah, yeah.
It was an '86 Chevy with side pipes.
Have you seen the car
since that night?
- Yes, sir, I have.
- Where was that?
It was in a student parking lot
out at the university.
What's the licence-plate number?
R-M-E-3-3-9.
Would you please tell the court
who took you to the university
to identify that car?
You did.
So just because my brother
hung in with his buddies,
he's now doing 20 years.
I went up to see him one time
and I haven't been back since.
- Why?
- Oh, it's too painful, man.
The boy had lost 20 pounds,
someone had bit off part of his ear,
all his hair fell out,
he had chewed his fingernails
to the knuckle.
It is pitiful what jail will do to a person,
and all because of perjury.
Wesley Wallace.
- It's me.
- Good luck.
Mr. Wallace,
after Professor Tate's birthday party,
did you drive directly home?
No. I gave Mr. Billings and Eric Lane
rides to their apartments,
and then I drove home
and went to bed.
- You didn't stop anywhere?
- No, sir.
- Not for food or gas?
- No.
- What kind of car do you drive?
- '86 Chevy.
With those special side pipes,
licence plate R-M-E-3-3-9?
Yeah.
Mr. Wallace,
you're currently finishing
your third year of law school.
- Is that correct?
- Yes, I am.
Then you're aware
that giving false testimony under oath
is a serious crime.
Yes.
Mr. Wallace,
we've just heard testimony
that it was, in fact, your car
that pulled into that gas station
the night of the accident.
Your car had been positively
identified by Mr. Gaines.
Now,
I'm gonna give you an opportunity
to reconsider your testimony.
What were you doing
in that gas station?
My engine was misfiring.
So it just happened that you rolled into
this gas station 1 5 miles from home
at the exact same moment
somebody ran down the victim.
- Yes.
- Why didn't you come forward
as an eyewitness?
I didn't wanna testify
against Professor Tate.
So you perjured yourself?
- Risked ruining your career?
- Yes.
Ran a strong possibility of going to jail,
all for Professor Tate?
- Yes.
- That's very noble.
Except we have you to thank
for the eyewitness testimony
against Professor Tate.
Isn't it true that gas station
- was closing when you rolled in there?
- Yes.
Isn't it true that had you not gone in,
the attendant would've been gone and
wouldn't have seen the hit and run?
I suppose so.
Isn't it true that you lied to this court
because you're part of a conspiracy
- to frame Professor Tate?
- No.
Isn't it true that that night,
the victim's bus was late
and you had to improvise some way
to keep the gas station attendant there
so he could see somebody dressed
like Professor Tate get out of that car?
Objection.
Assumes facts not in evidence.
Calls for speculation.
Sustained.
Mr. Wallace...
...make sure you tell the truth, now.
You will never be able to walk
into a courtroom as long as you live
without shame for what will happen
to Professor Tate here.
It's dishonourable and it's indecent
for a man like Professor Tate
to be convicted
of a crime he did not commit.
Now,
who was driving that car
the night of the murder?
Professor Tate.
No further questions.
Mr. Burgess?
No questions, Your Honour.
Court will recess until 2:30.
Do you really think
this was a conspiracy?
Yes.
- They did it?
- Yes.
Why didn't you tell me?
Professor, I didn't want you
grading me on my theory.
Just my results.
I flunked the course.
I misread him.
Ben, you did get it out in the open.
Well...
I guess we'd better go hit the books.
Mr. Lane, do you recognize
this paper?
Yes, I do.
That's my thesis for Professor Tate's
class on right to attorney.
- You wrote this paper.
- Yes.
And I see you have an A.
Congratulations.
Thank you.
It must gratifying to you
since your transcript shows
that your academic record was,
well, much lower.
I've been applying myself.
That's certainly true.
I mean, you were on the verge
of flunking out last semester.
Isn't that so?
Yes.
You'll notice on this thesis that
I've marked a few passages in red,
and I was wondering if you wouldn't
mind reading the first out loud.
For the most part,
and with only a paucity of exceptions,
primarily the northern states,
the extension of right to counsel
was desultory prior to 1 932.
Not until--
The Supreme Court decision in
Powell v. the State of Alabama
was declared a pro forma
appearance by counsel.
Mr. Lane, isn't this the exact wording
in your thesis?
Yes.
I've been reading Justice Smith's
dissenting opinion
in State of Alabama v. Jenkins,
1 937.
Can you explain why
your paper is identical
to the published opinion
of Justice Smith's?
No.
Isn't it true that you plagiarized
your paper?
I don't know--
Isn't it true that you plagiarized
other papers,
and before you answer,
let me tell you that we've checked
and we found
where you've copied them from.
Think very carefully
before you answer.
Isn't it true that your papers
are plagiarized?
Yes, it's true.
And who graded these papers,
which were responsible
for keeping you in school?
They were for Tate's class.
But you know that Professor Tate
does not grade his own papers.
Who graded these papers
for Professor Tate?
Mr. Billings.
No further questions.
Mr. Burgess?
I have no questions of this witness,
Your Honour.
You may step down.
Your Honour...
...we call James Billings to the stand.
Mr. Billings,
when did you first meet
Professor Tate?
At the beginning of last semester,
when he took over
the Halvern Chair of Law.
And you specifically asked
to be his teaching assistant.
That's right.
You must have been honoured when
he accepted you for that position.
Yes, I was.
Oh, by the way,
is that your real name, Billings?
Yes, of course.
It was never changed?
Well, actually, it was changed
when I was quite young.
My mother changed our name.
It was originally Blaine.
I see. Why did she do that?
I don't know what her reasons were,
Mr. Matlock.
My mother never confided in me.
I was only 7 years old at the time.
Your Honour, Mr. Matlock
seems to be on another one
of his patented fishing expeditions.
That's right, Your Honour.
And if you'll bear with me a moment
or two, I'm gonna reel in a big one.
Very well,
but please come to the point.
Yes, sir.
Now, Mr. Billings, or Blaine,
your mother changed your name.
Where was your father?
He was dead.
Under what circumstances
did he die?
He committed suicide.
Would you tell the jury
what precipitated that act?
I was very young.
I really don't remember.
Isn't it true
that several high-ranking officials
in your father's bank
were found guilty of fraud?
- Yes, I believe so.
- Isn't it also true
that the banker most culpable
was a vice president named
Arthur Blaine, who killed himself?
Yes.
And didn't you blame the special
prosecutor brought in to try the case?
- No.
- Didn't you blame that man,
Tate, for the death of your father?
No.
Why didn't you tell him
who you were?
Because it would have been
embarrassing to Professor Tate
and to me if I had broached
the subject.
Besides, it was a long time ago.
Revenge is a dish
that tastes better cold, isn't it?
I wouldn't know.
Mr. Billings.
Isn't it true that you knew
that students Wallace and Lane
had plagiarized their papers?
- No.
- But you're a legal scholar.
But I still didn't spot it.
Instead of throwing them
out of school,
you forced them to go along
with your plan
to drug Professor Tate
and frame him for murder.
Mr. Matlock,
you know as well as I do
that none of this has any basis in fact.
I know this:
I know you killed an innocent man to
satisfy your warped need for revenge.
- Objection.
- Sustained.
Your Honour, at this time,
I'll ask the court's indulgence
for that unusual-but-vital witness in
this case we discussed in chambers.
Your Honour, the prosecution restates
its objection for the record.
So noted. Proceed.
I ask Messrs. Wallace and Lane
to stand.
Mr. Billings to step down.
- Your Honour--
- It's essential to our case.
Step down.
Mr. Billings,
do you recognize that dog?
No.
It was thought the dog was hit
by Professor Tate's car,
but when the forensics people
went over the car,
they found traces of human hair,
human blood,
but no traces from the dog.
What would you deduce
from that, Mr. Billings?
I wouldn't.
Well, obviously the dog was not hit
by Professor Tate's car.
Apparently, somebody
beat the dog with something.
- You wouldn't have any idea?
- No.
You know what I think?
I think you drove that car
up on that lawn,
the dog came for you,
and you beat that dog
with probably a tyre iron.
This animal can't testify
in the traditional sense,
but I don't think he's forgotten
who beat him savagely
and left him for dead
beside Professor Tate's car.
- Stop him!
- Didn't you beat this dog senseless?
Yes!
Get him away from me!
Wasn't it you
in Professor Tate's car?
- Yes!
- Bailiff. No further questions.
Will the defendant please rise?
Has the jury reached a verdict?
Your Honour,
we find the defendant not guilty.
Court is adjourned.
- Good work, huh?
- Again, yeah.
I told you, never any doubt.
That was quite a stunt you pulled.
That wasn't a stunt.
That's the same dog,
a trained attack dog.
If Billings hadn't hit him
when he had,
he would have never
walked out of that yard.
You son of a gun.
- Well, I guess I ought to thank you.
- I suppose you ought.
I'll settle for a handshake.
For he's a jolly good fellow
For he's a jolly good fellow
Which nobody can deny
Which nobody can deny
Which nobody can deny
For he's a jolly good fellow
Which nobody can deny
Three cheers for Professor Tate.
- Hip, hip, hooray!
- Hooray!
- Hip, hip, hooray!
- Hooray!
- Hip, hip, hooray!
- Hooray!
What on earth have you done?
Blow out the candles
and make a wish.
Well, I should be
congratulating you, Lane.
Your grades are up remarkably.
Well, Professor Tate,
I've been applying myself.
Sometimes I'm happy
to be proven wrong.
Even about you.
Well, we've all been
applying ourselves, professor,
but your class is so fascinating,
hardly seems like work.
If it's hardly like work, then you have
missed the true fascination--
Professor, a nightcap.
- Oh, that's enough. Billings.
- No, no, no.
Professor, now tonight, tonight,
you can't order around
these poor, defenceless students
or your overworked teaching assistant.
Tonight, professor, let us show you
how we really feel about you.
Professor...
...you have no idea
how important you are to us.
Or how you've changed our lives.
Here's to you, sir.
I rarely succumb
to such blatant flattery,
but this time, I'll make an exception.
Here's to all the good friends
that I've made here.
Cheers.
Well, I think it is time for--
- We've actually done it.
- Shut up, Wallace.
Easy, easy. The party's just begun.
- It's okay.
- Now let's go.
What the hell is going on?
You hit my dog!
You lousy drunk.
You're gonna pay for this.
You're gonna pay.
Here's an Englishman
For he is
an Englishman
Hello?
Wait a minute.
Wait-- hold it, hold it, hold it.
Professor, professor!
I'll be right there.
- Ben. Ben Matlock.
- Professor Tate, what happened?
What happened is they've got me
locked up in here
like some common criminal.
Well, professor, if they think
you've committed a crime,
they'll lock you up
whether common or not.
But I haven't committed any crime.
Not really.
Professor, what are you doing here?
I don't really know.
They booked me for driving
under the influence of alcohol,
minor property damage.
Apparently, I struck a dog.
Were you driving
under the influence?
Well, I had a few glasses
of champagne.
A few?
I don't remember what happened, Ben,
so I can't--
But obviously,
all these charges are mere allegations,
and unless and until they are proven
in a court of law,
my presumption of innocence
remains intact.
That's right.
Morning, Frank.
- Ben, you're up early.
- The early bird gets the worm.
Frank, I'd like you to meet
my law professor from Harvard.
Right now, he's a visiting
professor out here at Baxter.
Lieutenant Daniels,
Professor Erskine Tate.
You're the reason
I missed breakfast, Professor Tate.
How is that, officer?
I'll explain in my office,
if you don't mind.
This is the report from forensic stains,
I went over your vehicle.
They found blood and human hair
on the front fender
that matched samples
taken from the victim.
Also fragments of headlight glass
taken from the victim's clothes.
- Victim?
- Victim.
Are you suggesting the professor
hit somebody?
And ran, as in hit and run.
That's impossible.
I've never even had one citation
for a moving violation.
Last night, sir,
at about ten minutes after 1 1 ,
one James Donaldson,
a postal employee,
was run down by a car
at the intersection of Central and 34th.
And guess what?
It was Mr. Donaldson's hair and blood
that was found
on Professor Tate's car.
Here is the report.
Surely you must know
this is all circumstantial evidence.
Oh, really, professor?
Young man,
I have forgotten more
about evidentiary procedure
than you could possibly imagine,
so you can save your intimidation
for somebody else.
Frank, could I have a word
with my client?
Okay, Ben.
Professor...
...you're not in a classroom now.
So you're gonna have
to behave yourself.
I did not hit anyone.
This is all circumstantial.
- And besides, he is offensive.
- He can be a lot worse than that.
Now calm down,
unless you want to be
the oldest man
in the Georgia State road gang.
Frank, you know, the professor
has a point about circumstantialities.
- Now, if that's all you've got on him--
- Not quite, Ben.
Not quite.
All right, gentlemen.
Take your places
in front of the numbers on the floor.
No talking.
Face front.
Good.
- Hi there, Mr. Gaines.
- Over there.
They can't see you, so point
the gentleman out for me.
Okay.
And take your time. I wanna be sure.
That's-- That's him.
He's the second one from the right.
With the trench coat and hat on.
Yeah, I'm positive.
- You are positive?
- Yeah. Yeah.
- Well, thank you very much, sir.
- Okay.
That's it, Charlie.
You wanna move them out?
All right, Ben. I'm booking
your brilliant legal mind for homicide.
I couldn't have done what they said.
I would've remembered.
You've apparently forgotten everything
I ever taught you in my classes.
Your approach is wrong.
The defence must develop
its own attack.
Questions like these:
Was this street adequately lit?
Was this postman in a crosswalk?
How was the victim dressed?
Was there a causal connection
between the driving and the death?
The DA's gonna have
some questions of his own.
Like, why did your station wagon
have traces of the victim's clothing
and blood on the bumper?
How much had you been drinking?
Why is it you can't remember
how your car ended up
on someone's lawn
in the middle of the night?
Questions like that.
Must you do that?
It helps me think.
I can't concentrate
while you're playing that thing.
I can't concentrate without it.
Matlock, if you please.
Professor, this isn't a classroom.
Young lady, I am trying to focus
on the issues at hand.
You can call me Charlene,
and the issue at hand is whether or not
you ran this man down.
I did not run this man down.
Are you sure?
I...
l-- I couldn't have.
If you don't remember,
how can you be so certain?
Your job is to defend me,
young lady, not lecture me.
I would never presume to do that.
Be in my office if you need me.
Good thing she doesn't work
for the DA, huh?
Ben...
I am terribly sorry about
what happened to that poor man,
but somehow, I would remember
if I'd hit someone.
Everybody wants
to believe that, Erskine.
Nobody more than I.
Why don't you go home
and get some sleep?
Yeah. Yeah.
And naturally, I won't discuss
the case with anyone.
Good idea.
I know, Daddy.
He's your favourite professor
and I ought to go easy on him.
No, I think he deserved it.
It's a lot like the story about the mute.
You gotta get his attention first.
Now that you have it,
maybe you could take it a little easy.
- He's in a difficult position.
- I know, Daddy.
Its just that all my life, I've heard
what a wonderful teacher he was.
You never told me
he was such a pain.
Erskine can sour on you,
but without him, I would never
have gotten through law school.
I tried to quit once.
He threatened
to beat the hell out of me.
I owe him a lot.
Well, do you have any clues
as to how to defend him?
Not yet.
One thing rings the right chimes.
I've had dinner with him a few times.
If he's had a drink or two,
he doesn't drive 20 miles an hour.
It's more like ten.
According to the police report, whoever
hit that fellow was doing around 70.
I think we should
keep an open mind.
Especially me.
If it rings the right chimes.
- Morning.
- Morning.
Fill her up.
I hear you had a bad accident
around here the other night.
Yeah, I saw it.
- No kidding.
- Yeah, I was just closing.
Matter of fact,
I'd have been almost gone,
only a customer came in late. Yeah.
Bus pulled up over there on the corner.
This guy gets out
and starts to cross the road.
Along come this blue station wagon
going like hell.
Hits the guy and he lands over there.
- You saw the whole thing?
- Yeah, yeah.
Yeah, I was standing right here.
I ran over to help him,
but he was dead already.
This customer,
you think he saw it too?
Well, by the time I turned around,
he was gone.
You know how some people
don't like to get involved.
- Did you recognize him?
- No, not really.
He left.
But if he hadn't come in, well,
then I'd have missed the whole thing.
It must have been terrible
seeing a man get hit like that.
Oh, awful.
Do I know you?
We-- We've never met.
Could have sworn
I'd seen you before.
But you're not sure.
- A lot of folks come in here.
- That's what I thought.
Yeah.
He finally found his hat,
which was on the piano,
drank some more champagne,
and staggered out into the night.
And that's the last you saw him
that night, Professor Billings?
No, I saw him cross the parking lot,
get into his car and drive away.
You mean that you saw that he was
intoxicated and you let him drive?
Well, I tried to argue him out of it,
but I couldn't.
He's a very stubborn man, you know.
I heard him arguing with Mr. Billings.
He was trying to talk him
out of another drink,
but he insisted on having one.
And about what time was this?
I'm not sure, but I know he was
pretty drunk by the time he finally left.
I remember he didn't know
where his hat was,
but it was there on the piano,
right in front of him.
So you were there when he left.
Oh, yeah.
I remember he couldn't even
find his hat,
and it was right in front of his nose.
- Really?
- Yeah.
On the piano.
Then we walked him outside,
figuring maybe, you know,
the fresh air would help him.
- Who is ''we''?
- Me and Mr. Billings.
Did you see him get into his car?
Yeah.
Did anybody else see him?
The guard in the parking lot.
He must've seen him.
- Why is that?
- Well, I mean, he was there on duty.
- Here you go.
- Thank you.
Where's the cream for my coffee?
They didn't have any real cream,
just some of that white oily stuff
in the little container.
- You know I like cream in my coffee.
- I'm sorry, professor.
I can't drink this without cream.
Make you feel better
if I don't drink mine?
- Morning, Ben.
- Morning, Tyler.
This is the police forensics report
on the Tate case.
If you ask me, it's open, shut
and locked up.
Look at it. Am I right or am I right?
- Ask him.
- Who him?
Professor Tate.
This is Tyler Hudson,
our investigator.
Naturally, professor,
when I referred to the case
as being open and shut
and locked up,
I was just referring
to the prevailing theory.
And as you know,
disproving prevailing theory
is the name of our game.
- Does he always talk this much?
- Yeah.
We're just checking the bus schedule
and clocking some of the arrivals.
Most of them seem to be on time.
Was the bus late that night?
As a matter of fact, it was.
Ten minutes late.
The victim was a postal employee.
That was his regular bus, let him off at
this corner every night at 1 1 , except--
Except the night he was killed.
The bus was ten minutes late.
So what?
Tell him about
the second eyewitness.
I was coming to that, professor.
Tyler, is there anything in the police
report about a second eyewitness?
No.
Well, there was one.
Pulled into that gas station,
then pulled out after the man was hit.
I'd sure like to talk to him.
Ben, I don't mean
to tell you your business,
but in this case,
one eyewitness is enough.
Let's go.
Where we going?
To see a man about a dog.
Well, nobody at home.
- There's the tyre tracks.
- Yeah, the car stopped right here.
Yeah, it just stopped.
I mean, there's no skid marks.
The man is supposed to be speeding.
Why didn't he just run into the house?
- You know, I don't know.
- Neither do I.
Did the forensics report
say anything about hair
or traces of the dog on the car?
No, just human hair
and human blood.
This could be significant.
The police may have
just missed a clue.
- I need to talk to that other witness.
- Well, what do you have on him?
Well, the gas-station attendant said he
was driving a red '86 Chevy Camaro.
- A licence-plate number?
- He didn't get it.
That's no problem. There's about
half a million of those cars
throughout the country.
It has chrome valve covers
and side pipes.
Gas-station attendant
knows his cars.
Says there can't be many of them.
- Check the custom shops.
- Check the custom shops. I gotcha.
What are we gonna do?
We do nothing.
- We stonewall.
- You lied to us.
You told us we were gonna
sideswipe a bus
get Tate tossed out of school.
You never said anything
about killing anybody.
- It was an accident.
- It was no accident.
You set this whole thing up.
You knew all along.
- You used us.
- Shut up.
Now it's too late.
The only thing that will save
your necks is if Tate is convicted.
Hi. Sorry to barge in,
but I did have one last question.
Oh, yes. Of course.
Now, originally, there were
a dozen students at the party.
That's right.
Why did the others leave?
They all had papers to complete.
- And you two had finished yours?
- Oh, yes.
No wonder
they're your star students.
Well, thank you.
And then when I came into Billing's
office, they all looked very, very guilty.
I heard them arguing about something
as I came down the hall,
but I couldn't quite make out
what it was.
What else?
Not much.
I did interview the campus security
guard who said that he saw Tate leave.
- Did he get a good look at him?
- Not really.
He was about 50 yards away.
He did say
the professor waved good night.
From 50 yards away?
Yeah. Why?
Did he say whether or not
he had on his glasses?
Actually, he said he wasn't.
Erskine can't see 50 yards
without his glasses.
So what do you think?
I don't think the professor
was driving that car.
- We've been subpoenaed.
- Well, of course you have.
- You're a witness.
- What about you?
Well, not yet, but I'm sure
they'll get around to it.
Excuse me. Excuse me.
I'm looking for
Professor Tate's office.
- Mr. Matlock?
- That's right.
James Billings.
This is Eric Lane and Wesley Wallace.
Oh, yes, yes, yes.
- Which way is his office?
- Well, he hasn't been in recently.
I know. He asked me
to pick up a few things for him.
Well, if you have the time,
we'd like to hear about the case.
- You sure I'm not interrupting?
- Oh, not at all.
Well...
You know, Erskine's been asking me
to come over here and lecture.
I just never found the time. To tell you
the truth, I don't know what I'd say.
Just what is your line of defence?
Well...
...I've always felt that the wrong
Holmes is taught in law school.
It ought to be Sherlock,
not Oliver Wendell.
The most important thing
he ever said:
''lf you eliminate the impossible,
whatever's left, no matter
how improbable, must be the truth.''
Well, how would that
apply to the Tate case?
Well, first off, I try to touch on things
that don't add up.
Like the fact that his car
never actually hit the dog,
why the car stopped where it did,
things like that.
I'd try to raise the question
in the jury's mind
that maybe, just maybe, Professor
Tate wasn't driving the car at all.
- He was identified in the lineup.
- Oh, I know, I know.
And he was seen leaving the party.
The campus guard said
he waved to him from 50 yards away.
Hell, Erskine can't see 50 yards.
He wouldn't have waved.
Fascinating.
Yeah. Well, if I can prove that,
then I'll get into the improbable.
What's that?
Oh, I haven't narrowed that down yet,
but let's speculate,
just for the purpose of conjecture.
There was a conspiracy.
What kind of conspiracy?
Well, let's say, for whatever reason,
the three of you
wanted to get rid of Professor Tate.
Us?
Just for the purposes of discussion,
let's see if I can build
a case on supposition.
My daughter interviewed
the three of you
and you all three recalled
the same details.
Now, it's very difficult
to get eyewitnesses, three,
to recall the same details
unless they've been coached.
But as lawyers, they're already trained
in observing and recalling.
Oh, of course,
of course, of course.
But if I were
to start with that thought,
that the three of you wanted
to get rid of Professor Tate,
then I'd have to raise
certain questions.
For instance,
what if you drugged his champagne?
What if one of you put on
his hat and coat,
walked to the car, waved good night
to the guard?
What if you then
drove around to the back
and the other two brought
Professor Tate to the car,
and you drove that car
to the intersection
and waited for that bus to show up?
What if the bus was late?
Then one of you would have
to drive across to the service station
and keep the owner there so that
he didn't go home, stayed open,
so that he could be
that all-important eyewitness.
It's just conjecture.
Well, I know you've got more important
things to do than to listen to me,
so I'll see you in court.
Where did you say
the professor's office--?
- Oh, yes. Third door on the left.
- Thank you.
Morning, Ben.
Hi, Lloyd.
This is a tough one for you.
You think you know someone,
you find out you don't.
I know him.
I've come prepared.
- Where's the professor?
- Oh, Erskine's late for everything.
There he is.
I'm keeping an open mind.
- Ben, I've got good news.
- Yeah.
Sodderfield v.
the State of Missouri.
I'd almost forgotten about this case,
but it has an important precedent in it.
Erskine--
And don't forget
Hammerville v. Young.
- Erskine--
- And more importantly,
Wilson v. Davenport.
Erskine.
This is not moot court at Harvard.
This is a jury trial.
I bring a bunch of case law in here
and confuse this jury,
you'll be up the creek
without a shadow of a paddle.
Save it for appeal.
- It's that bad, isn't it?
- I'd practice looking innocent.
Well, it's nice to see
I have a cheering section.
Oh, they wouldn't miss this
for the world.
Yep.
Gang's all here.
Mr. Gaines, you heard the screech
of brakes, and then what?
Then I saw the man
get out of the car,
and look down at the guy he hit
and jumped back in and drove off.
Can you identify that man
that drove off?
Yes, I believe so.
If he's in this courtroom,
would you please point him out?
It looked like Mr. Tate.
Indicating the defendant.
No further questions.
Your Honour, before I examine
my next witness, I would like to move
that Mr. Wesley Wallace
be excluded from the courtroom.
Granted.
Mr. Wallace,
would you wait outside, please?
Why don't you go inside
and watch the show?
I'm a witness in this case.
You are a witness
in Ben Matlock's case?
Yeah.
What?
That man is a devil in the courtroom.
I have seen him cut up witnesses
like a surgeon.
How do you know
so much about him?
He ruined my brother's life.
How?
He sent him up,
and for all things, perjury.
Now, Mr. Gaines,
you were standing here that night,
and the accident took place over here.
- Is that correct?
- Yes, it is.
Mr. Gaines,
the man who got out of the car...
- What was he wearing?
- A trench coat and hat.
When you identified Professor Tate
in the lineup, what was he wearing?
Trench coat and tweed hat.
Did you recognize him?
No.
So would you say
that we have clearly established
that someone wearing a trench coat
and a tweed hat got out of that car?
Objection.
Calls for supposition.
- Your Honour--
- Sustained.
The record already shows
the witness said it looked like Mr. Tate.
Now,
what time do you close up at night?
Eleven o'clock.
But the accident took place
at ten minutes past eleven.
- Why were you late closing?
- Objection. Relevancy.
Your Honour, I am about
to establish relevancy.
Overruled.
Proceed, Mr. Matlock.
Why were you open late,
Mr. Gaines?
As I was closing, a man came in.
His engine was conking out
so I took a look.
Oh, so you and the driver of this car
saw the accident.
Well, I don't know what he saw.
l-- I ran into the street
to see about the guy who was hit
and I turned around and yelled
to the man in the car to call for help.
He took off.
Could you identify this man?
No, sir.
Was there anything special
about the car
that would enable you
to recognize it again?
Yeah, yeah.
It was an '86 Chevy with side pipes.
Have you seen the car
since that night?
- Yes, sir, I have.
- Where was that?
It was in a student parking lot
out at the university.
What's the licence-plate number?
R-M-E-3-3-9.
Would you please tell the court
who took you to the university
to identify that car?
You did.
So just because my brother
hung in with his buddies,
he's now doing 20 years.
I went up to see him one time
and I haven't been back since.
- Why?
- Oh, it's too painful, man.
The boy had lost 20 pounds,
someone had bit off part of his ear,
all his hair fell out,
he had chewed his fingernails
to the knuckle.
It is pitiful what jail will do to a person,
and all because of perjury.
Wesley Wallace.
- It's me.
- Good luck.
Mr. Wallace,
after Professor Tate's birthday party,
did you drive directly home?
No. I gave Mr. Billings and Eric Lane
rides to their apartments,
and then I drove home
and went to bed.
- You didn't stop anywhere?
- No, sir.
- Not for food or gas?
- No.
- What kind of car do you drive?
- '86 Chevy.
With those special side pipes,
licence plate R-M-E-3-3-9?
Yeah.
Mr. Wallace,
you're currently finishing
your third year of law school.
- Is that correct?
- Yes, I am.
Then you're aware
that giving false testimony under oath
is a serious crime.
Yes.
Mr. Wallace,
we've just heard testimony
that it was, in fact, your car
that pulled into that gas station
the night of the accident.
Your car had been positively
identified by Mr. Gaines.
Now,
I'm gonna give you an opportunity
to reconsider your testimony.
What were you doing
in that gas station?
My engine was misfiring.
So it just happened that you rolled into
this gas station 1 5 miles from home
at the exact same moment
somebody ran down the victim.
- Yes.
- Why didn't you come forward
as an eyewitness?
I didn't wanna testify
against Professor Tate.
So you perjured yourself?
- Risked ruining your career?
- Yes.
Ran a strong possibility of going to jail,
all for Professor Tate?
- Yes.
- That's very noble.
Except we have you to thank
for the eyewitness testimony
against Professor Tate.
Isn't it true that gas station
- was closing when you rolled in there?
- Yes.
Isn't it true that had you not gone in,
the attendant would've been gone and
wouldn't have seen the hit and run?
I suppose so.
Isn't it true that you lied to this court
because you're part of a conspiracy
- to frame Professor Tate?
- No.
Isn't it true that that night,
the victim's bus was late
and you had to improvise some way
to keep the gas station attendant there
so he could see somebody dressed
like Professor Tate get out of that car?
Objection.
Assumes facts not in evidence.
Calls for speculation.
Sustained.
Mr. Wallace...
...make sure you tell the truth, now.
You will never be able to walk
into a courtroom as long as you live
without shame for what will happen
to Professor Tate here.
It's dishonourable and it's indecent
for a man like Professor Tate
to be convicted
of a crime he did not commit.
Now,
who was driving that car
the night of the murder?
Professor Tate.
No further questions.
Mr. Burgess?
No questions, Your Honour.
Court will recess until 2:30.
Do you really think
this was a conspiracy?
Yes.
- They did it?
- Yes.
Why didn't you tell me?
Professor, I didn't want you
grading me on my theory.
Just my results.
I flunked the course.
I misread him.
Ben, you did get it out in the open.
Well...
I guess we'd better go hit the books.
Mr. Lane, do you recognize
this paper?
Yes, I do.
That's my thesis for Professor Tate's
class on right to attorney.
- You wrote this paper.
- Yes.
And I see you have an A.
Congratulations.
Thank you.
It must gratifying to you
since your transcript shows
that your academic record was,
well, much lower.
I've been applying myself.
That's certainly true.
I mean, you were on the verge
of flunking out last semester.
Isn't that so?
Yes.
You'll notice on this thesis that
I've marked a few passages in red,
and I was wondering if you wouldn't
mind reading the first out loud.
For the most part,
and with only a paucity of exceptions,
primarily the northern states,
the extension of right to counsel
was desultory prior to 1 932.
Not until--
The Supreme Court decision in
Powell v. the State of Alabama
was declared a pro forma
appearance by counsel.
Mr. Lane, isn't this the exact wording
in your thesis?
Yes.
I've been reading Justice Smith's
dissenting opinion
in State of Alabama v. Jenkins,
1 937.
Can you explain why
your paper is identical
to the published opinion
of Justice Smith's?
No.
Isn't it true that you plagiarized
your paper?
I don't know--
Isn't it true that you plagiarized
other papers,
and before you answer,
let me tell you that we've checked
and we found
where you've copied them from.
Think very carefully
before you answer.
Isn't it true that your papers
are plagiarized?
Yes, it's true.
And who graded these papers,
which were responsible
for keeping you in school?
They were for Tate's class.
But you know that Professor Tate
does not grade his own papers.
Who graded these papers
for Professor Tate?
Mr. Billings.
No further questions.
Mr. Burgess?
I have no questions of this witness,
Your Honour.
You may step down.
Your Honour...
...we call James Billings to the stand.
Mr. Billings,
when did you first meet
Professor Tate?
At the beginning of last semester,
when he took over
the Halvern Chair of Law.
And you specifically asked
to be his teaching assistant.
That's right.
You must have been honoured when
he accepted you for that position.
Yes, I was.
Oh, by the way,
is that your real name, Billings?
Yes, of course.
It was never changed?
Well, actually, it was changed
when I was quite young.
My mother changed our name.
It was originally Blaine.
I see. Why did she do that?
I don't know what her reasons were,
Mr. Matlock.
My mother never confided in me.
I was only 7 years old at the time.
Your Honour, Mr. Matlock
seems to be on another one
of his patented fishing expeditions.
That's right, Your Honour.
And if you'll bear with me a moment
or two, I'm gonna reel in a big one.
Very well,
but please come to the point.
Yes, sir.
Now, Mr. Billings, or Blaine,
your mother changed your name.
Where was your father?
He was dead.
Under what circumstances
did he die?
He committed suicide.
Would you tell the jury
what precipitated that act?
I was very young.
I really don't remember.
Isn't it true
that several high-ranking officials
in your father's bank
were found guilty of fraud?
- Yes, I believe so.
- Isn't it also true
that the banker most culpable
was a vice president named
Arthur Blaine, who killed himself?
Yes.
And didn't you blame the special
prosecutor brought in to try the case?
- No.
- Didn't you blame that man,
Tate, for the death of your father?
No.
Why didn't you tell him
who you were?
Because it would have been
embarrassing to Professor Tate
and to me if I had broached
the subject.
Besides, it was a long time ago.
Revenge is a dish
that tastes better cold, isn't it?
I wouldn't know.
Mr. Billings.
Isn't it true that you knew
that students Wallace and Lane
had plagiarized their papers?
- No.
- But you're a legal scholar.
But I still didn't spot it.
Instead of throwing them
out of school,
you forced them to go along
with your plan
to drug Professor Tate
and frame him for murder.
Mr. Matlock,
you know as well as I do
that none of this has any basis in fact.
I know this:
I know you killed an innocent man to
satisfy your warped need for revenge.
- Objection.
- Sustained.
Your Honour, at this time,
I'll ask the court's indulgence
for that unusual-but-vital witness in
this case we discussed in chambers.
Your Honour, the prosecution restates
its objection for the record.
So noted. Proceed.
I ask Messrs. Wallace and Lane
to stand.
Mr. Billings to step down.
- Your Honour--
- It's essential to our case.
Step down.
Mr. Billings,
do you recognize that dog?
No.
It was thought the dog was hit
by Professor Tate's car,
but when the forensics people
went over the car,
they found traces of human hair,
human blood,
but no traces from the dog.
What would you deduce
from that, Mr. Billings?
I wouldn't.
Well, obviously the dog was not hit
by Professor Tate's car.
Apparently, somebody
beat the dog with something.
- You wouldn't have any idea?
- No.
You know what I think?
I think you drove that car
up on that lawn,
the dog came for you,
and you beat that dog
with probably a tyre iron.
This animal can't testify
in the traditional sense,
but I don't think he's forgotten
who beat him savagely
and left him for dead
beside Professor Tate's car.
- Stop him!
- Didn't you beat this dog senseless?
Yes!
Get him away from me!
Wasn't it you
in Professor Tate's car?
- Yes!
- Bailiff. No further questions.
Will the defendant please rise?
Has the jury reached a verdict?
Your Honour,
we find the defendant not guilty.
Court is adjourned.
- Good work, huh?
- Again, yeah.
I told you, never any doubt.
That was quite a stunt you pulled.
That wasn't a stunt.
That's the same dog,
a trained attack dog.
If Billings hadn't hit him
when he had,
he would have never
walked out of that yard.
You son of a gun.
- Well, I guess I ought to thank you.
- I suppose you ought.
I'll settle for a handshake.