Matlock (1986–1995): Season 2, Episode 22 - The Fisherman - full transcript
A Vietnamese fisherman has been clashing with another fisherman who's a bigot. When the man is killed the Vietnamese is arrested and Ben defends him. And the D.A. is quite helpful to Ben.
I think it's time
for a little...
search-and-destroy mission.
Uh-huh.
Lee. Lee!
Come on, get out!
Let's go. Get out of here.
No, no.
Yeah. You know what
I'm talking about. Yeah.
You know, I don't
think those Vietnamese
are gonna be hanging
around here much after tonight.
Let's drink to it!
Yeah. MAN 2: Yes, sir.
Mmm.
You.
Get out of here.
This is an American bar.
My son could have
been killed tonight.
I don't know what you're
talking about, but, uh...
one less gook around here
would be quite an improvement.
Why, you... You
listen to me, Charlie.
Now, we don't like your people
fishing our waters
and taking what's ours.
Now, maybe you'll
get the message.
This is an American town
for American fishermen.
So you just pack
up your little brat
and the rest of your people,
and you get the
hell out of here.
Do you hear me?! Huh?!
Put it away, John.
He started it.
You heard me.
Sure.
I don't want no
trouble with the law.
Go home, Mr. Tran.
Why don't you arrest them?
You know he burned
my boat tonight.
Knowing and proving it
are two different things.
Does one of my people have
to die before you do something?
This man is behind everything
they have done to us.
You know, he's right, sheriff.
You shut your mouth, old man.
You don't scare me, Sampson.
Tom. Take your friend
and get him out of here.
Let's go, Nguyen.
I'll go. But I can see now.
There's no justice for
Vietnamese in Barton's Bay.
But I'll tell you
this, my friend.
If the law will not
stop them... I will.
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.
Nguyen. Nguyen?
I suppose you've been
here all night long, huh?
Yeah. Ask anyone.
That's right. That's right.
Yeah. He was here.
One of these days,
I'm gonna put you away.
Well, you better hurry, sheriff.
Election's less than
eight weeks away.
Ah.
Oh, man, you gotta be kidding.
Get off my boat
before I throw you off.
Gangway. It's the prosecutor.
You wanna tell me why
you've got Nguyen Tran in jail?
You heard what
happened last night.
Nguyen Tran threatened
John Sampson.
Is that all you've got?
I gotta hold him for
questioning for 48 hours.
Look, I wanna
show you something.
The way I figure it...
John was stabbed
inside the cabin.
Notice the trail of
blood leading from inside
to where the body was
discovered this morning.
Where's the murder weapon?
It's not in the boat.
Sheriff, he's coming up.
Lying on the bottom just
as plain as day, sheriff.
See the initials
carved into the handle?
"N.T."
I'd say this knife
belongs to Nguyen Tran.
I've done my job,
Mr. Prosecutor.
Now you gotta do yours.
Hey, Michelle?
I'm gonna buy a new car.
Got regular radio dials.
It's worth buying just for that.
Mr. Matlock? Yes, sir?
I'm Tom Jakes, the
harbormaster out at Barton's Bay.
Oh.
You heard about
the trouble there?
A little.
This is Lee Tran.
His father's been
charged with the murder.
My father didn't do it.
We came here to
hire you to defend him.
Oh, well.
Sir, I know you're expensive.
But I have some holdings,
some stocks, some bonds.
And I could mortgage my
boat if need be, for the rest.
Mr. Tran must be
a very good friend.
I brought him and
Lee to this country.
I was their sponsor.
Oh.
My father's a good man.
He wouldn't kill anyone.
Oh, you're Ben Matlock?
Yes, sir.
Michael Barton, the prosecutor.
Oh. This is my associate,
Michelle Thomas.
Hello. Hi.
Uh, Barton?
I don't think I ever met
anybody alive before
who had a town named after him.
Oh. Not me.
Uh, Barton's Bay was named
after my great-grandfather.
Oh.
Well, I guess you're
looking for the sheriff's office.
It's right in there.
Oh. Great.
Well, I'll see you
later. I'll see you.
Nice to meet you.
I'm glad you could take
the case, Mr. Matlock.
Yeah?
Tom Jakes is an old
friend of the family.
After Nguyen was charged,
he asked me if I could
recommend an attorney for him.
You recommended me?
Yes, I did.
There's a very strong
case against Nguyen,
and I wanted to
make sure he could get
as good a representation
as possible.
Oh, well... thank you.
Yeah. Uh, jail's
down there. Okay.
Uh, tell me this.
Did you make a threat
against John Sampson that night?
Yes.
But when I went home...
I knew I couldn't
commit violence.
Your knife was
found in the water
directly under his boat.
I did not kill this man.
My knife was stolen when
they robbed my boat last week.
It wasn't on the theft report.
When you consider
everything they stole from me:
my... my radio, my nets,
all my fishing equipments,
the knife is insignificant.
So you didn't report it?
Mr. Matlock...
I would do anything
to protect my son.
Yes, even kill.
But I did not kill John Sampson.
Well... I guess the first thing
is see if we can
get you a fair trial.
I don't see grounds
for a change of venue.
Those people out
there are grounds.
With all due respect,
Your Honor, I don't...
I don't think my client
can get a fair trial here.
Mr. Matlock, please don't
condemn an entire community
because of a few
people in the street.
Well... Uh, Mr. Barton.
This is a decent community...
with scores of hardworking,
fair-minded people.
I'm sure that's true.
They just don't seem to be
very fond of the Vietnamese.
Mr. Matlock, most of our people
have great sympathy
for the Vietnamese.
Your Honor, you know
I served in Vietnam.
And I'm aware of the problems
they've been having here.
But I have great
respect and admiration
for the people of
this community.
I believe Mr. Tran
can get a fair trial.
I'm afraid I have to
agree with Mr. Barton.
The trial will take place here.
Your motion for
change of venue,
Mr. Matlock, is denied.
You okay, Dad?
I'm fine, son.
Uh, Mr. Matlock,
who put up the
money for my bail?
Uh, M-Mr. Barton...
The judge released you
on your own recognizance.
Thank you, Mr. Barton.
You have always been kind to us.
Uh, we're done.
Better get going.
Yeah.
Ah.
Ah, excuse me. Excuse
me, that's a new car.
That's a new car.
Sooner or later it will
get a few scratches.
Now, listen.
Break it up.
Whose side are you on?
I said, break it up.
You too.
Thank you, uh...
Thank you, Deputy, uh...
Atkins. Thank you.
Sooner or later...
Hey, Michelle, uh...
get Mr. Tran and Lee
home safely and meet
me back at the motel.
Where are you going?
That's the guy
that found the knife.
You know, in the water.
Yeah... Are you gonna be safe?
I'm going to the
safest place in town.
I went through John
Sampson's house and his boat.
Didn't find a single item
belonging to any of
those Vietnamese.
Oh, uh... I know.
Mr. Tran claims
his knife was stolen.
I guess in his place
that's what I would say.
Of course, if he's
telling the truth,
then whoever stole it
killed John Sampson.
Maybe.
Find anybody who had a motive...
and I'll be all ears.
How'd you feel
about Mr. Sampson?
Motive, huh?
Well, let me put
it to you this way:
As far as I'm concerned,
Tran did this town a favor.
Hm.
I hear that, uh...
John Sampson was
thinking about running
against you for sheriff,
and the way the feelings
are going about the Vietnamese,
he had a good chance of winning.
So you think I killed him?
No. Just telling you something
I learned about
motives a long time ago.
You never can tell
who might have one.
What are you doing here?
Oh. Uh, Mrs. Sampson, uh...
picture in the paper
doesn't do you justice.
I asked you a question.
I-I'm Ben Matlock.
Please get off my boat.
I need to talk to you.
You're defending
my husband's killer.
I just came by to pick up
my husband's possessions,
so can you please make it brief?
Well, I... I just have
one question, really.
Why was your husband
living on his boat?
I... I don't know a
lot about fishermen,
but... I don't know many
that keep their good
clothes on their boat.
We've been having
a lot of problems.
Marital.
Well, was, uh...
Was he seeing another woman?
No.
Um... you seeing another man?
No, I was not.
Uh... I, uh...
Uh, I heard he... has
a pretty mean temper.
You're out of line.
Oh, yes. I-I am.
I apologize.
I'm... I'm sorry. I...
uh... I'll be going.
And maybe... May...
Talk another time.
Come on, Ben.
Stop a minute and
let's get our breath.
Phew.
How'd you know I was here?
When you didn't
show up at the motel,
I got a little worried.
A little worry's
good for a person.
I appreciate it.
How about dropping
me by Mr. Tran's?
Uh, wait, wait. Then
drive over to, uh...
To this place.
It's, uh, in Greenville.
About 60 miles, just
across the county line.
"Starlight Motel."
Yeah. Now, here:
This is a picture
of Ms. Sampson.
Show it around.
Welcome to our home.
Ha. Thanks. Hey.
Ah-ha-ha.
Hello, Mr. Matlock.
Why, hello, Lee.
Mm-mm. Something smells good.
We're having all
specialties in your honor.
First, we'll start with
canh chua dau ca,
then goi sua tom thit, and
then some ca chien nuoc mam.
Dried jellyfish with
cabbage, sour fish head soup,
and fried fish in fish sauce.
I'd like some more
of this fried jellyfish.
Oh. Please take
as much as you like.
That should be about enough.
I'm stuffed.
Excuse me, Mr. Matlock.
I have to wash the dishes.
Oh. Yeah.
Mm.
Nice boy.
Yes.
That's why I'm afraid.
When Tom Jakes first
brought us over here,
I had such high hopes.
Now...
I fear what would happen
to him if I have to go to jail.
Oh, you're a long ways
from that, Mr. Tran.
Maybe these people are right.
Maybe the Vietnamese
have no right to be here.
But my son does.
You see... he's half American.
He's not your son?
My stepson.
He is what is
called "Amerasian."
His real father was
an American soldier
who was killed during the war.
I married his mother
before he was born.
She was so beautiful.
She was beautiful.
What happened?
Our village was bombed,
and she was killed.
He was only 2 then.
But before she died,
I promise her I will
always take care of Lee.
Hm.
Here's your Miss Thomas.
Oh.
Hello, Mr. Tran. Hi.
Hey, Michelle, come here.
Come here a minute. Here, uh...
Here... Yeah, uh, good.
Try some of this.
Try some of this. This is...
This is, uh... This
is, uh, dried jellyfish
and sour fish head soup.
How'd you do?
Um... Mrs. Sampson
was a regular customer
at the Starlight Motel.
Yeah? Sometimes twice a week.
Who with?
He's right here.
The sheriff?
Deputy Atkins? Yeah.
Mr. Tran?
What do you know
about Deputy Atkins?
Well, he was a fisherman
until about six months ago.
He lost his boat to the bank.
Oh. Deputy Atkins.
Under the circumstances...
I see no alternative but
to reconsider Mr. Matlock's
request for a change of venue.
Motion granted.
The trial will be held
in Fulton County.
After finding Mr. Sampson's
body on the deck,
what did you do then?
I secured the crime scene
and commenced my investigation.
Did that include looking
for a murder weapon?
Yes, sir.
Deputy Atkins is
a qualified diver.
He began an underwater search
of the area beneath the boat.
He came up with the knife
within a few
minutes of his dive.
I show you People's Exhibit 5...
and I ask you, do you
recognize it, sheriff?
Yes, sir. That's the knife.
Yesterday, the coroner testified
that the victim's wound
was consistent with
the blade on this knife.
Sheriff, can you tell us
if there are any identifying
marks on this knife?
Yes, sir. Right
there on the handle.
You can see the initials N.T.
It's a common custom
in the Barton's Bay area
for the local fishermen
to personalize their
fishing knives, is that so?
Uh, Your Honor...
I'll object, for the record,
that the question is leading
and without foundation, however,
I know what
counsel is attempting,
so the defense will
stipulate that Exhibit 5
is Mr. Tran's knife.
Thank you, Mr. Matlock.
Nothing further.
Cross-examine.
Thank you. Uh...
No one is disputing...
that this is Mr. Tran's knife.
But sheriff, you didn't see
Mr. Tran stab
Mr. Sampson, did you?
No.
And in the course
of your investigation,
you didn't find one single
person who had seen Mr. Tran
use this or any other
knife on Mr. Sampson.
Isn't that right?
Yeah, that's right.
However, in the weeks
before the murder,
there were a string of
robberies on Vietnamese boats,
weren't there?
We had some reports.
And, uh, a few days
before the murder,
Mr. Tran's own boat...
was robbed, wasn't it?
I had a report.
Saw evidence of a break-in.
Mr. Tran didn't specifically
list his knife as
stolen, did he?
He gave me a list of things.
That wasn't on it. Uh-huh.
However, on the list
was the bridge compass,
radio, and all fishing nets.
That's all pretty
large, expensive items.
It's not unusual for a citizen
to overlook smaller items
when their larger,
more expensive ones
have been stolen, isn't it?
No. No.
Now... Now the
coroner says the time
of Mr. Sampson's
death was, uh, 1 a.m.
It's pretty quiet out on
the harbor then, isn't it?
Yes.
I mean, it's real quiet.
Uh, my associate,
Miss Thomas and I,
went out to Mr. Sampson's boat
at 1 a.m., and I
went in... In the cabin,
where Mr. Sampson was
standing when he was stabbed.
And my associate
tried to sneak up on me.
You know, the way the
killer must have done.
And no matter how
careful she was, I heard her.
She even took off her
shoes, and I still heard her.
Objection.
Relevancy.
It isn't even a question.
She took off her shoes,
and I still heard her.
How about that?
Objection.
Sustained.
I apologize to both of you.
Now... as... As we all know,
Mr. Sampson was
stabbed in the back.
Doesn't that lead to the
obvious conclusion that either
whoever did it
sneaked up on him,
or Mr. Sampson knew
his killer well enough
to turn his back on him?
I suppose.
Now, let me put it another way.
Given what had transpired
between Mr. Tran
and Mr. Sampson,
you certainly wouldn't
expect Mr. Sampson
to turn his back on Mr. Tran.
So that has to mean that
Mr. Sampson knew or...
Objection. Objection.
Calls for speculation,
no relevancy...
Withdrew the question.
No further questions.
Withdraw the question.
Isn't it true that you
and the defendant
are close friends?
Yes, we are.
Isn't it also true that
you sponsored Mr. Tran
and his stepson when they
first came to Barton's Bay?
Everybody knows that, Mickey.
Please, Mr. Jakes. Just
answer the question.
Yes, I sponsored them.
And on the night of the murder,
weren't you in the Lucky
Catch bar when Mr. Tran
threatened Mr. Sampson?
Well, yeah.
What did he say?
Your Honor,
instruct this
witness to answer...
Well, you don't
need to say that.
What he said was...
that if the sheriff didn't
stop John Sampson...
that he would.
Thank you. Nothing further.
Sorry about that, Nguyen.
You only told the truth, Tom.
Why are you doing
this to my father?
I thought you were our friend?
I am. I...
Lee. Mr. Barton's
only doing his job.
Just like the rest of
them. You hate us.
Lee.
I'm sorry, Mr. Barton.
He, uh... He doesn't understand.
I'll talk to him.
It's all so senseless.
When the Vietnamese first came
to Barton's Bay three years ago,
there were no problems.
Everybody got along.
Till about six months ago.
When the fishing got bad,
that's when it all started.
The local fishermen got
scared. And like scared people,
they looked for a convenient
scapegoat: the Vietnamese.
It's such a shame...
when you realize everybody knows
what caused the problem.
What's that?
We had an
unseasonably cool winter.
The cold Arctic currents
cooled off the local waters.
The cool waters
caused abnormal tides
and shifting currents,
and chased away the red
snapper and the mackerel.
Huh.
You say the fishermen know that?
Of course. Ask Tom
Jakes. He'll tell you.
Well, uh... I'll
see you tomorrow.
Okay.
Heh.
Give me one all the way.
Hi. Hi.
Want one?
No.
I found out a few things.
Yep?
Deputy Atkins is still having
his trysts with Mrs. Sampson.
He was an MP in Vietnam.
Rod Atkins and John Sampson
were there together,
and they have a history of
hatred for the Vietnamese.
They both spent six months
in the stockade at Long Binh
for terrorizing
Vietnamese civilians.
No kidding.
And Deputy Atkins was off
duty that night, wasn't he?
Yeah.
He's our man.
We have to prove...
that he stole Mr. Tran's knife.
Find Tyler.
Go to Jackson's Fishing Supply,
get a knife just
like Mr. Tran's.
And let's just see
about something.
A continuance?
On what grounds, Mr. Matlock?
Well, Your Honor,
some new information
has come to my attention.
I assure the court it's crucial.
Defense has had ample
time to prepare its case.
Your Honor, my entire defense
rests on this information.
All I need is 36 hours.
All right. Court will
reconvene at 9 a.m. Thursday.
Thank you.
It's time, Mr. Jakes.
You got a diver?
Yep.
You know where to look?
Yeah.
You're clear on how
to use this thing?
Clear. And I'm cold.
I got it!
Bring it on in.
Now we know Mr. Tran's knife
was not the murder weapon.
That's good.
Now we know.
Hey, will you guys
let me up on the boat?
I'm freezing.
Tyler.
I'm sorry to do this to you.
Maybe your body will adjust.
You've got to try to find
the real murder weapon.
This is bonus time again.
They make a good sandwich?
Fair.
You lost your boat to the bank.
I say, I heard you
were a fisherman,
but you lost your
boat to the bank.
That's right.
Why don't you buy
John Sampson's boat?
What do you want?
Well... um...
when John Sampson was killed,
where were you?
I was home.
I think you know a lot more
about what happened
to Mr. Sampson
than you're saying.
Maybe even exactly.
There you go.
I'll see you in court.
All right, Tom.
Fine, I'll see you
in the morning.
Did you know Tom Jakes
lost his son in Vietnam?
No.
Did he tell you that?
No, I heard it in town.
It was in 1972.
Do you suppose that's why he
sponsored Mr. Tran and Lee?
When was Tom's son killed?
1972.
That's the same
year Lee was born.
Deputy Atkins, this...
is a navigational
chart of Barton's Bay.
And this... is where
Mr. Sampson's boat
was at the time of the murder.
Now, you say you
found Mr. Tran's knife
directly under the boat,
is that right? Yes.
Actually...
that's where you
planted it, isn't it?
What are you talking about?
I think you know.
A few nights ago...
there was a little experiment.
Supervised by Mr. Tom Jakes,
the harbormaster
of Barton's Bay.
We purchased this knife.
As you can see...
it's, uh, an exact replica
of Mr. Tran's knife.
We wanted to duplicate
what would have happened
to Mr. Tran's knife
if it had been the
murder weapon.
This knife was
dropped into the water
from the stern of Mr. Sampson's
boat at exactly 1 a.m.,
the time of the murder.
The next morning,
at approximately the same time
you dived for Mr. Tran's knife,
Mr. Tyler Hudson
dove for this one.
And you know what?
It wasn't there.
You know where he found it?
I don't know.
It was found... here.
More than 40 yards
south of the boat.
How do you suppose it got there?
I'll tell you.
Tides.
In less than nine hours,
tides and heavy
currents carried it there.
You know what that means?
No.
It means that Sheriff
Washburn was right
about how Mr. Sampson was killed
and what happened
to the murder weapon.
The only thing is he
had the wrong knife.
Mr. Hudson continued
to dive... and here...
on the harbor bottom,
150 yards to the south...
he found this,
which I believe is the
real murder weapon.
You see these initials?
"J.S."
John Sampson.
He was killed
with his own knife.
Maybe you knew that.
No, I didn't.
I'll tell you what you did know.
When the sheriff asked you
to dive for the murder weapon...
you saw an opportunity
to frame Mr. Tran.
You and John Sampson
had stolen his knife,
along with several other items,
from his boat
several days before.
With nobody noticing,
you went into the water
with Mr. Tran's knife,
swam around a few
minutes, and brought it up,
didn't you?
Deputy Atkins, you've
been having an affair...
with John Sampson's wife.
You were a fisherman
who lost his boat.
I think Mr. Barton
could make a case.
You wanted his
wife and his boat,
and saw a chance
to get both of them.
So you killed him.
No. I didn't.
No, you have to believe me.
We robbed Tran and
we burned his boat...
but I planted the knife
because I thought
he killed John.
And because you have a
hatred for the Vietnamese.
Yes.
I hate them.
I didn't kill John.
Your Honor...
Deputy Atkins has
admitted to many things:
robbery, arson,
false testimony...
certainly bigotry.
He has not admitted to murder.
And I'm grateful...
that I don't bear
the responsibility
of that proof.
Your Honor, the prosecution's
case against my client
hinged on Mr. Tran's knife...
which we know now was
planted by Deputy Atkins.
Under the circumstances...
the defense moves for dismissal.
Mr. Barton?
No objection.
This case is dismissed.
Father.
Thank you, Mr. Matlock.
Thank you. LEE: Thank you.
Well... good morning.
Good morning.
Well, I see they're
putting it back together.
Gonna be a lot of work.
Yeah, but they'll do it.
Mr. Matlock...
I didn't get a chance
to congratulate you.
Well, thank you.
You put on a good show.
Well, sometimes I think
maybe a little too far.
But, uh, I'll tell
you the truth. I...
I never could have
done it without your help.
How's that?
Well... you're the one
who recommended
that Tom Jakes hire me.
I was just helping out a friend.
Yeah.
I didn't think that my client...
could get a fair
trial at Barton's Bay.
You argued against
change of venue, and then...
Well, I would have done
the same thing by myself.
Then... when...
When somebody burned my new car,
the judge reconsidered.
And rightfully.
Yeah. That was a
change of venue.
I think, uh... you
burned my car.
What?
And when it looked like
I couldn't possibly win,
you came to the rescue.
It was very subtle. But you did.
You told me all about the tides.
What is all this?
It's the most incredible thing
I've ever been a part of.
You didn't want Mr. Tran...
to be found guilty of a
murder you had committed,
so you...
protected him the
best way you know how.
In a court of law... through me.
You're accusing me of murder?
Look at this transcript.
When you had Tom
Jakes on the stand,
you asked him...
And I'm quoting you
"Isn't it also true that
you sponsored Mr. Tran
and his stepson when they
first came to Barton's Bay?"
You called him stepson.
Maybe you didn't
mean to do that.
How did you know...
Lee is not Mr. Tran's blood son?
I don't know.
Until he told me...
there were only two other people
besides Mr. Tran who knew:
Tom Jakes...
and Lee's real father.
An American soldier who served
in Vietnam in 1972.
That's you, Mr. Barton.
Mr. Matlock... I
loved his mother.
Please, believe me.
I believe you did.
I believe you're a good
and honorable man.
That's why I'm here.
From the fall of Saigon in 1975,
you made inquires...
about Mr. Tran and his stepson.
And just... two months...
before Tom Jakes
asked you for legal help
in sponsoring a
Vietnamese family,
you found Mr. Tran and Lee
in a refugee camp in Thailand.
You selected
them... for Mr. Jakes.
Seven years I looked for Lee.
I was already
married with one child
when I was in Vietnam
and met his mother.
There was nothing
else I could do.
I had to leave her.
She said that... she
would say I was dead
and marry Mr. Tran.
I never forgot my son.
I couldn't.
Why did you kill John Sampson?
Why?
I didn't go there to kill him.
I knew that he'd
burned the boat.
He could have
caused Lee's death.
I went there to tell him to
leave the Vietnamese alone.
He laughed at me and
ordered me off his boat.
I was very angry.
He turned his
back on me, and I...
saw his knife lying there,
and I picked it up...
and I stabbed him.
He pulled the knife from himself
and he came for me.
He fell by the back of the boat,
dropped the knife
into the water.
Heh.
See, when the deputy
came up with Mr. Tran's knife,
I knew that he was framed.
You were right.
I helped you with
your case, didn't I?
Yeah.
I couldn't have
done it without you.
Well... I guess, uh... Yes.
for a little...
search-and-destroy mission.
Uh-huh.
Lee. Lee!
Come on, get out!
Let's go. Get out of here.
No, no.
Yeah. You know what
I'm talking about. Yeah.
You know, I don't
think those Vietnamese
are gonna be hanging
around here much after tonight.
Let's drink to it!
Yeah. MAN 2: Yes, sir.
Mmm.
You.
Get out of here.
This is an American bar.
My son could have
been killed tonight.
I don't know what you're
talking about, but, uh...
one less gook around here
would be quite an improvement.
Why, you... You
listen to me, Charlie.
Now, we don't like your people
fishing our waters
and taking what's ours.
Now, maybe you'll
get the message.
This is an American town
for American fishermen.
So you just pack
up your little brat
and the rest of your people,
and you get the
hell out of here.
Do you hear me?! Huh?!
Put it away, John.
He started it.
You heard me.
Sure.
I don't want no
trouble with the law.
Go home, Mr. Tran.
Why don't you arrest them?
You know he burned
my boat tonight.
Knowing and proving it
are two different things.
Does one of my people have
to die before you do something?
This man is behind everything
they have done to us.
You know, he's right, sheriff.
You shut your mouth, old man.
You don't scare me, Sampson.
Tom. Take your friend
and get him out of here.
Let's go, Nguyen.
I'll go. But I can see now.
There's no justice for
Vietnamese in Barton's Bay.
But I'll tell you
this, my friend.
If the law will not
stop them... I will.
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.
Nguyen. Nguyen?
I suppose you've been
here all night long, huh?
Yeah. Ask anyone.
That's right. That's right.
Yeah. He was here.
One of these days,
I'm gonna put you away.
Well, you better hurry, sheriff.
Election's less than
eight weeks away.
Ah.
Oh, man, you gotta be kidding.
Get off my boat
before I throw you off.
Gangway. It's the prosecutor.
You wanna tell me why
you've got Nguyen Tran in jail?
You heard what
happened last night.
Nguyen Tran threatened
John Sampson.
Is that all you've got?
I gotta hold him for
questioning for 48 hours.
Look, I wanna
show you something.
The way I figure it...
John was stabbed
inside the cabin.
Notice the trail of
blood leading from inside
to where the body was
discovered this morning.
Where's the murder weapon?
It's not in the boat.
Sheriff, he's coming up.
Lying on the bottom just
as plain as day, sheriff.
See the initials
carved into the handle?
"N.T."
I'd say this knife
belongs to Nguyen Tran.
I've done my job,
Mr. Prosecutor.
Now you gotta do yours.
Hey, Michelle?
I'm gonna buy a new car.
Got regular radio dials.
It's worth buying just for that.
Mr. Matlock? Yes, sir?
I'm Tom Jakes, the
harbormaster out at Barton's Bay.
Oh.
You heard about
the trouble there?
A little.
This is Lee Tran.
His father's been
charged with the murder.
My father didn't do it.
We came here to
hire you to defend him.
Oh, well.
Sir, I know you're expensive.
But I have some holdings,
some stocks, some bonds.
And I could mortgage my
boat if need be, for the rest.
Mr. Tran must be
a very good friend.
I brought him and
Lee to this country.
I was their sponsor.
Oh.
My father's a good man.
He wouldn't kill anyone.
Oh, you're Ben Matlock?
Yes, sir.
Michael Barton, the prosecutor.
Oh. This is my associate,
Michelle Thomas.
Hello. Hi.
Uh, Barton?
I don't think I ever met
anybody alive before
who had a town named after him.
Oh. Not me.
Uh, Barton's Bay was named
after my great-grandfather.
Oh.
Well, I guess you're
looking for the sheriff's office.
It's right in there.
Oh. Great.
Well, I'll see you
later. I'll see you.
Nice to meet you.
I'm glad you could take
the case, Mr. Matlock.
Yeah?
Tom Jakes is an old
friend of the family.
After Nguyen was charged,
he asked me if I could
recommend an attorney for him.
You recommended me?
Yes, I did.
There's a very strong
case against Nguyen,
and I wanted to
make sure he could get
as good a representation
as possible.
Oh, well... thank you.
Yeah. Uh, jail's
down there. Okay.
Uh, tell me this.
Did you make a threat
against John Sampson that night?
Yes.
But when I went home...
I knew I couldn't
commit violence.
Your knife was
found in the water
directly under his boat.
I did not kill this man.
My knife was stolen when
they robbed my boat last week.
It wasn't on the theft report.
When you consider
everything they stole from me:
my... my radio, my nets,
all my fishing equipments,
the knife is insignificant.
So you didn't report it?
Mr. Matlock...
I would do anything
to protect my son.
Yes, even kill.
But I did not kill John Sampson.
Well... I guess the first thing
is see if we can
get you a fair trial.
I don't see grounds
for a change of venue.
Those people out
there are grounds.
With all due respect,
Your Honor, I don't...
I don't think my client
can get a fair trial here.
Mr. Matlock, please don't
condemn an entire community
because of a few
people in the street.
Well... Uh, Mr. Barton.
This is a decent community...
with scores of hardworking,
fair-minded people.
I'm sure that's true.
They just don't seem to be
very fond of the Vietnamese.
Mr. Matlock, most of our people
have great sympathy
for the Vietnamese.
Your Honor, you know
I served in Vietnam.
And I'm aware of the problems
they've been having here.
But I have great
respect and admiration
for the people of
this community.
I believe Mr. Tran
can get a fair trial.
I'm afraid I have to
agree with Mr. Barton.
The trial will take place here.
Your motion for
change of venue,
Mr. Matlock, is denied.
You okay, Dad?
I'm fine, son.
Uh, Mr. Matlock,
who put up the
money for my bail?
Uh, M-Mr. Barton...
The judge released you
on your own recognizance.
Thank you, Mr. Barton.
You have always been kind to us.
Uh, we're done.
Better get going.
Yeah.
Ah.
Ah, excuse me. Excuse
me, that's a new car.
That's a new car.
Sooner or later it will
get a few scratches.
Now, listen.
Break it up.
Whose side are you on?
I said, break it up.
You too.
Thank you, uh...
Thank you, Deputy, uh...
Atkins. Thank you.
Sooner or later...
Hey, Michelle, uh...
get Mr. Tran and Lee
home safely and meet
me back at the motel.
Where are you going?
That's the guy
that found the knife.
You know, in the water.
Yeah... Are you gonna be safe?
I'm going to the
safest place in town.
I went through John
Sampson's house and his boat.
Didn't find a single item
belonging to any of
those Vietnamese.
Oh, uh... I know.
Mr. Tran claims
his knife was stolen.
I guess in his place
that's what I would say.
Of course, if he's
telling the truth,
then whoever stole it
killed John Sampson.
Maybe.
Find anybody who had a motive...
and I'll be all ears.
How'd you feel
about Mr. Sampson?
Motive, huh?
Well, let me put
it to you this way:
As far as I'm concerned,
Tran did this town a favor.
Hm.
I hear that, uh...
John Sampson was
thinking about running
against you for sheriff,
and the way the feelings
are going about the Vietnamese,
he had a good chance of winning.
So you think I killed him?
No. Just telling you something
I learned about
motives a long time ago.
You never can tell
who might have one.
What are you doing here?
Oh. Uh, Mrs. Sampson, uh...
picture in the paper
doesn't do you justice.
I asked you a question.
I-I'm Ben Matlock.
Please get off my boat.
I need to talk to you.
You're defending
my husband's killer.
I just came by to pick up
my husband's possessions,
so can you please make it brief?
Well, I... I just have
one question, really.
Why was your husband
living on his boat?
I... I don't know a
lot about fishermen,
but... I don't know many
that keep their good
clothes on their boat.
We've been having
a lot of problems.
Marital.
Well, was, uh...
Was he seeing another woman?
No.
Um... you seeing another man?
No, I was not.
Uh... I, uh...
Uh, I heard he... has
a pretty mean temper.
You're out of line.
Oh, yes. I-I am.
I apologize.
I'm... I'm sorry. I...
uh... I'll be going.
And maybe... May...
Talk another time.
Come on, Ben.
Stop a minute and
let's get our breath.
Phew.
How'd you know I was here?
When you didn't
show up at the motel,
I got a little worried.
A little worry's
good for a person.
I appreciate it.
How about dropping
me by Mr. Tran's?
Uh, wait, wait. Then
drive over to, uh...
To this place.
It's, uh, in Greenville.
About 60 miles, just
across the county line.
"Starlight Motel."
Yeah. Now, here:
This is a picture
of Ms. Sampson.
Show it around.
Welcome to our home.
Ha. Thanks. Hey.
Ah-ha-ha.
Hello, Mr. Matlock.
Why, hello, Lee.
Mm-mm. Something smells good.
We're having all
specialties in your honor.
First, we'll start with
canh chua dau ca,
then goi sua tom thit, and
then some ca chien nuoc mam.
Dried jellyfish with
cabbage, sour fish head soup,
and fried fish in fish sauce.
I'd like some more
of this fried jellyfish.
Oh. Please take
as much as you like.
That should be about enough.
I'm stuffed.
Excuse me, Mr. Matlock.
I have to wash the dishes.
Oh. Yeah.
Mm.
Nice boy.
Yes.
That's why I'm afraid.
When Tom Jakes first
brought us over here,
I had such high hopes.
Now...
I fear what would happen
to him if I have to go to jail.
Oh, you're a long ways
from that, Mr. Tran.
Maybe these people are right.
Maybe the Vietnamese
have no right to be here.
But my son does.
You see... he's half American.
He's not your son?
My stepson.
He is what is
called "Amerasian."
His real father was
an American soldier
who was killed during the war.
I married his mother
before he was born.
She was so beautiful.
She was beautiful.
What happened?
Our village was bombed,
and she was killed.
He was only 2 then.
But before she died,
I promise her I will
always take care of Lee.
Hm.
Here's your Miss Thomas.
Oh.
Hello, Mr. Tran. Hi.
Hey, Michelle, come here.
Come here a minute. Here, uh...
Here... Yeah, uh, good.
Try some of this.
Try some of this. This is...
This is, uh... This
is, uh, dried jellyfish
and sour fish head soup.
How'd you do?
Um... Mrs. Sampson
was a regular customer
at the Starlight Motel.
Yeah? Sometimes twice a week.
Who with?
He's right here.
The sheriff?
Deputy Atkins? Yeah.
Mr. Tran?
What do you know
about Deputy Atkins?
Well, he was a fisherman
until about six months ago.
He lost his boat to the bank.
Oh. Deputy Atkins.
Under the circumstances...
I see no alternative but
to reconsider Mr. Matlock's
request for a change of venue.
Motion granted.
The trial will be held
in Fulton County.
After finding Mr. Sampson's
body on the deck,
what did you do then?
I secured the crime scene
and commenced my investigation.
Did that include looking
for a murder weapon?
Yes, sir.
Deputy Atkins is
a qualified diver.
He began an underwater search
of the area beneath the boat.
He came up with the knife
within a few
minutes of his dive.
I show you People's Exhibit 5...
and I ask you, do you
recognize it, sheriff?
Yes, sir. That's the knife.
Yesterday, the coroner testified
that the victim's wound
was consistent with
the blade on this knife.
Sheriff, can you tell us
if there are any identifying
marks on this knife?
Yes, sir. Right
there on the handle.
You can see the initials N.T.
It's a common custom
in the Barton's Bay area
for the local fishermen
to personalize their
fishing knives, is that so?
Uh, Your Honor...
I'll object, for the record,
that the question is leading
and without foundation, however,
I know what
counsel is attempting,
so the defense will
stipulate that Exhibit 5
is Mr. Tran's knife.
Thank you, Mr. Matlock.
Nothing further.
Cross-examine.
Thank you. Uh...
No one is disputing...
that this is Mr. Tran's knife.
But sheriff, you didn't see
Mr. Tran stab
Mr. Sampson, did you?
No.
And in the course
of your investigation,
you didn't find one single
person who had seen Mr. Tran
use this or any other
knife on Mr. Sampson.
Isn't that right?
Yeah, that's right.
However, in the weeks
before the murder,
there were a string of
robberies on Vietnamese boats,
weren't there?
We had some reports.
And, uh, a few days
before the murder,
Mr. Tran's own boat...
was robbed, wasn't it?
I had a report.
Saw evidence of a break-in.
Mr. Tran didn't specifically
list his knife as
stolen, did he?
He gave me a list of things.
That wasn't on it. Uh-huh.
However, on the list
was the bridge compass,
radio, and all fishing nets.
That's all pretty
large, expensive items.
It's not unusual for a citizen
to overlook smaller items
when their larger,
more expensive ones
have been stolen, isn't it?
No. No.
Now... Now the
coroner says the time
of Mr. Sampson's
death was, uh, 1 a.m.
It's pretty quiet out on
the harbor then, isn't it?
Yes.
I mean, it's real quiet.
Uh, my associate,
Miss Thomas and I,
went out to Mr. Sampson's boat
at 1 a.m., and I
went in... In the cabin,
where Mr. Sampson was
standing when he was stabbed.
And my associate
tried to sneak up on me.
You know, the way the
killer must have done.
And no matter how
careful she was, I heard her.
She even took off her
shoes, and I still heard her.
Objection.
Relevancy.
It isn't even a question.
She took off her shoes,
and I still heard her.
How about that?
Objection.
Sustained.
I apologize to both of you.
Now... as... As we all know,
Mr. Sampson was
stabbed in the back.
Doesn't that lead to the
obvious conclusion that either
whoever did it
sneaked up on him,
or Mr. Sampson knew
his killer well enough
to turn his back on him?
I suppose.
Now, let me put it another way.
Given what had transpired
between Mr. Tran
and Mr. Sampson,
you certainly wouldn't
expect Mr. Sampson
to turn his back on Mr. Tran.
So that has to mean that
Mr. Sampson knew or...
Objection. Objection.
Calls for speculation,
no relevancy...
Withdrew the question.
No further questions.
Withdraw the question.
Isn't it true that you
and the defendant
are close friends?
Yes, we are.
Isn't it also true that
you sponsored Mr. Tran
and his stepson when they
first came to Barton's Bay?
Everybody knows that, Mickey.
Please, Mr. Jakes. Just
answer the question.
Yes, I sponsored them.
And on the night of the murder,
weren't you in the Lucky
Catch bar when Mr. Tran
threatened Mr. Sampson?
Well, yeah.
What did he say?
Your Honor,
instruct this
witness to answer...
Well, you don't
need to say that.
What he said was...
that if the sheriff didn't
stop John Sampson...
that he would.
Thank you. Nothing further.
Sorry about that, Nguyen.
You only told the truth, Tom.
Why are you doing
this to my father?
I thought you were our friend?
I am. I...
Lee. Mr. Barton's
only doing his job.
Just like the rest of
them. You hate us.
Lee.
I'm sorry, Mr. Barton.
He, uh... He doesn't understand.
I'll talk to him.
It's all so senseless.
When the Vietnamese first came
to Barton's Bay three years ago,
there were no problems.
Everybody got along.
Till about six months ago.
When the fishing got bad,
that's when it all started.
The local fishermen got
scared. And like scared people,
they looked for a convenient
scapegoat: the Vietnamese.
It's such a shame...
when you realize everybody knows
what caused the problem.
What's that?
We had an
unseasonably cool winter.
The cold Arctic currents
cooled off the local waters.
The cool waters
caused abnormal tides
and shifting currents,
and chased away the red
snapper and the mackerel.
Huh.
You say the fishermen know that?
Of course. Ask Tom
Jakes. He'll tell you.
Well, uh... I'll
see you tomorrow.
Okay.
Heh.
Give me one all the way.
Hi. Hi.
Want one?
No.
I found out a few things.
Yep?
Deputy Atkins is still having
his trysts with Mrs. Sampson.
He was an MP in Vietnam.
Rod Atkins and John Sampson
were there together,
and they have a history of
hatred for the Vietnamese.
They both spent six months
in the stockade at Long Binh
for terrorizing
Vietnamese civilians.
No kidding.
And Deputy Atkins was off
duty that night, wasn't he?
Yeah.
He's our man.
We have to prove...
that he stole Mr. Tran's knife.
Find Tyler.
Go to Jackson's Fishing Supply,
get a knife just
like Mr. Tran's.
And let's just see
about something.
A continuance?
On what grounds, Mr. Matlock?
Well, Your Honor,
some new information
has come to my attention.
I assure the court it's crucial.
Defense has had ample
time to prepare its case.
Your Honor, my entire defense
rests on this information.
All I need is 36 hours.
All right. Court will
reconvene at 9 a.m. Thursday.
Thank you.
It's time, Mr. Jakes.
You got a diver?
Yep.
You know where to look?
Yeah.
You're clear on how
to use this thing?
Clear. And I'm cold.
I got it!
Bring it on in.
Now we know Mr. Tran's knife
was not the murder weapon.
That's good.
Now we know.
Hey, will you guys
let me up on the boat?
I'm freezing.
Tyler.
I'm sorry to do this to you.
Maybe your body will adjust.
You've got to try to find
the real murder weapon.
This is bonus time again.
They make a good sandwich?
Fair.
You lost your boat to the bank.
I say, I heard you
were a fisherman,
but you lost your
boat to the bank.
That's right.
Why don't you buy
John Sampson's boat?
What do you want?
Well... um...
when John Sampson was killed,
where were you?
I was home.
I think you know a lot more
about what happened
to Mr. Sampson
than you're saying.
Maybe even exactly.
There you go.
I'll see you in court.
All right, Tom.
Fine, I'll see you
in the morning.
Did you know Tom Jakes
lost his son in Vietnam?
No.
Did he tell you that?
No, I heard it in town.
It was in 1972.
Do you suppose that's why he
sponsored Mr. Tran and Lee?
When was Tom's son killed?
1972.
That's the same
year Lee was born.
Deputy Atkins, this...
is a navigational
chart of Barton's Bay.
And this... is where
Mr. Sampson's boat
was at the time of the murder.
Now, you say you
found Mr. Tran's knife
directly under the boat,
is that right? Yes.
Actually...
that's where you
planted it, isn't it?
What are you talking about?
I think you know.
A few nights ago...
there was a little experiment.
Supervised by Mr. Tom Jakes,
the harbormaster
of Barton's Bay.
We purchased this knife.
As you can see...
it's, uh, an exact replica
of Mr. Tran's knife.
We wanted to duplicate
what would have happened
to Mr. Tran's knife
if it had been the
murder weapon.
This knife was
dropped into the water
from the stern of Mr. Sampson's
boat at exactly 1 a.m.,
the time of the murder.
The next morning,
at approximately the same time
you dived for Mr. Tran's knife,
Mr. Tyler Hudson
dove for this one.
And you know what?
It wasn't there.
You know where he found it?
I don't know.
It was found... here.
More than 40 yards
south of the boat.
How do you suppose it got there?
I'll tell you.
Tides.
In less than nine hours,
tides and heavy
currents carried it there.
You know what that means?
No.
It means that Sheriff
Washburn was right
about how Mr. Sampson was killed
and what happened
to the murder weapon.
The only thing is he
had the wrong knife.
Mr. Hudson continued
to dive... and here...
on the harbor bottom,
150 yards to the south...
he found this,
which I believe is the
real murder weapon.
You see these initials?
"J.S."
John Sampson.
He was killed
with his own knife.
Maybe you knew that.
No, I didn't.
I'll tell you what you did know.
When the sheriff asked you
to dive for the murder weapon...
you saw an opportunity
to frame Mr. Tran.
You and John Sampson
had stolen his knife,
along with several other items,
from his boat
several days before.
With nobody noticing,
you went into the water
with Mr. Tran's knife,
swam around a few
minutes, and brought it up,
didn't you?
Deputy Atkins, you've
been having an affair...
with John Sampson's wife.
You were a fisherman
who lost his boat.
I think Mr. Barton
could make a case.
You wanted his
wife and his boat,
and saw a chance
to get both of them.
So you killed him.
No. I didn't.
No, you have to believe me.
We robbed Tran and
we burned his boat...
but I planted the knife
because I thought
he killed John.
And because you have a
hatred for the Vietnamese.
Yes.
I hate them.
I didn't kill John.
Your Honor...
Deputy Atkins has
admitted to many things:
robbery, arson,
false testimony...
certainly bigotry.
He has not admitted to murder.
And I'm grateful...
that I don't bear
the responsibility
of that proof.
Your Honor, the prosecution's
case against my client
hinged on Mr. Tran's knife...
which we know now was
planted by Deputy Atkins.
Under the circumstances...
the defense moves for dismissal.
Mr. Barton?
No objection.
This case is dismissed.
Father.
Thank you, Mr. Matlock.
Thank you. LEE: Thank you.
Well... good morning.
Good morning.
Well, I see they're
putting it back together.
Gonna be a lot of work.
Yeah, but they'll do it.
Mr. Matlock...
I didn't get a chance
to congratulate you.
Well, thank you.
You put on a good show.
Well, sometimes I think
maybe a little too far.
But, uh, I'll tell
you the truth. I...
I never could have
done it without your help.
How's that?
Well... you're the one
who recommended
that Tom Jakes hire me.
I was just helping out a friend.
Yeah.
I didn't think that my client...
could get a fair
trial at Barton's Bay.
You argued against
change of venue, and then...
Well, I would have done
the same thing by myself.
Then... when...
When somebody burned my new car,
the judge reconsidered.
And rightfully.
Yeah. That was a
change of venue.
I think, uh... you
burned my car.
What?
And when it looked like
I couldn't possibly win,
you came to the rescue.
It was very subtle. But you did.
You told me all about the tides.
What is all this?
It's the most incredible thing
I've ever been a part of.
You didn't want Mr. Tran...
to be found guilty of a
murder you had committed,
so you...
protected him the
best way you know how.
In a court of law... through me.
You're accusing me of murder?
Look at this transcript.
When you had Tom
Jakes on the stand,
you asked him...
And I'm quoting you
"Isn't it also true that
you sponsored Mr. Tran
and his stepson when they
first came to Barton's Bay?"
You called him stepson.
Maybe you didn't
mean to do that.
How did you know...
Lee is not Mr. Tran's blood son?
I don't know.
Until he told me...
there were only two other people
besides Mr. Tran who knew:
Tom Jakes...
and Lee's real father.
An American soldier who served
in Vietnam in 1972.
That's you, Mr. Barton.
Mr. Matlock... I
loved his mother.
Please, believe me.
I believe you did.
I believe you're a good
and honorable man.
That's why I'm here.
From the fall of Saigon in 1975,
you made inquires...
about Mr. Tran and his stepson.
And just... two months...
before Tom Jakes
asked you for legal help
in sponsoring a
Vietnamese family,
you found Mr. Tran and Lee
in a refugee camp in Thailand.
You selected
them... for Mr. Jakes.
Seven years I looked for Lee.
I was already
married with one child
when I was in Vietnam
and met his mother.
There was nothing
else I could do.
I had to leave her.
She said that... she
would say I was dead
and marry Mr. Tran.
I never forgot my son.
I couldn't.
Why did you kill John Sampson?
Why?
I didn't go there to kill him.
I knew that he'd
burned the boat.
He could have
caused Lee's death.
I went there to tell him to
leave the Vietnamese alone.
He laughed at me and
ordered me off his boat.
I was very angry.
He turned his
back on me, and I...
saw his knife lying there,
and I picked it up...
and I stabbed him.
He pulled the knife from himself
and he came for me.
He fell by the back of the boat,
dropped the knife
into the water.
Heh.
See, when the deputy
came up with Mr. Tran's knife,
I knew that he was framed.
You were right.
I helped you with
your case, didn't I?
Yeah.
I couldn't have
done it without you.
Well... I guess, uh... Yes.