Matlock (1986–1995): Season 2, Episode 5 - The Power Brokers: Part 1 - full transcript

Ben defends a popular columnist framed for the murder of a source.

( upbeat jazz theme playing)

( somber theme playing)

(phone rings)

MELINDA: "Inside the Beltway."
Melinda Stuart speaking.

WOMAN (on phone): Something's
going on in the office where I work

that I think people
should know about,

and I'm not talking
about some little divorce.

I mean something big.

It involves a big
senator and big money.

Well, why are you calling me?

I-I don't know.



Your picture's
above your column.

Should I call somebody
else? MELINDA: Uh, no.

No, uh, that's all right.

Look, why don't we
meet somewhere?

And every three
months, almost to the day,

Michael Fitzmorris...

He's Senator Crawford's
legislative assistant.

He takes a three-day trip.

I don't know where he goes

because he makes
the reservations himself.

Something is going on

because normally I handle
all that kind of stuff for him.

So he takes a trip.

And on the very day
that he gets back,



Senator Crawford always
calls a meeting between himself,

Michael Fitzmorris,
Robert Irwin...

The... The corporate attorney?

Yes.

And Jed Palmer.

He ran the senator's
re-election campaign.

The meeting never lasts
longer than 15 minutes,

and Michael Fitzmorris,
who just got off the plane,

he always goes in with a
very heavy-looking briefcase.

It always looks light
when he comes out.

Right after that,
Senator Crawford

flies to Zurich for
a couple of days.

It's like he's got a
bank account there

or something.

So you think there's
money in the briefcase?

I'm sure of it.

Can you prove it?

(clears throat)

Before I give you anything else,

you're gonna have
to give me $10,000.

Look, I've been in this town

since I was 18 years old.

I sat in on a couple
of Senate hearings

when I came here
on a senior class trip,

and I thought, "Wow.

I wanna do what they do."

So I started as a secretary,

figured I could work my way up.

But the very first
man I worked for

told me I'd move farther faster

if I slept with him.

And you believed him.

Pretty soon, I wasn't
working my way up

so much as working
my way around.

That's a mistake I kept
making over and over again

in order to survive.

Well, I finally decided
surviving is what animals do.

I want out, and
in order to get out,

I need cash.

Now, do you want
this story or not?

It's not a story
unless I have proof.

You give me the money,

I'll get you your proof.

(classical music
playing over speakers)

(crowd chattering)

Melinda, here you are.

Naughty girl. You almost
didn't get an invite, you know.

After that semi-veiled
reference to me

in your column last week.

Social piranha, indeed.

Piranhas are little
itty-bitty things.

Surely, I'm up there
with the sharks at least.

(both laugh)

Now, just when
are you gonna bring

a date to one of
these things, precious?

Then maybe we can
spread some nice,

juicy gossip about you.

Actually, I was kind of hoping
Jed Palmer would be here.

Ooh, follow me.

Anything to breathe
some life into this party.

The guest of honor,
the sultan over there?

So many wives, and
wouldn't you know it?

Every one of
them is a total bore.

(laughs)

Oh, Robert. Now, what
did you do with Jed Palmer?

Melinda had her heart
set on talking to him.

Uh, he's just over there.

Ah, I'll retrieve him, darling.

You stay here and see what muck

you can drag out of my husband.

He never tells me a thing.

I'm afraid I'm fresh out of
muck today, Miss Stuart,

but I'd be happy to
round you up a drink.

Oh, no thanks.

So how's Senator Crawford?

He's fine. He's here someplace.

I understand that you
had a meeting with him

last Wednesday, wasn't it?

I may have dropped
by the office.

I-I go there so often,

it's, uh, hard for
me to recollect.

Oh, every three months

doesn't sound that often to me.

CLARISSA: Ah, here we are.

Melinda Stuart, Jed Palmer.

Uh, come along, dearest.

I, uh, hope your interest in me

doesn't stem from a
desire to run for office.

I've yet to run a
losing campaign

and I'd just as soon
keep it that way.

(scoffs)

With all of my loyal
readers out there?

What makes you so sure I'd lose?

I'm sure you don't have
enough of what it takes to win.

And what's that? Money?

Sad, but true.

Now, I understand
that Robert Irwin

promised you
seven figures up front

to run Senator
Crawford's last campaign.

That's why you ended
up working for the senator

and not his opponent.

(chuckles): Where
did you hear that?

I hear everything.

Sad, but true.

To this day, I don't think he
knew the microphone was on.

(men laugh)

Hello, senator.

Good to see you again.

Melinda Stuart,
Washington Tribune.

Yes, of course. Sit down.

You write that delicious column.

I can say that because
you've never written about me,

not once.

That just goes to show
what an upstanding

citizen you are, sir.

Hell, it shows how
old and boring I am.

Oh, I don't know.

Anyone who flies to
Zurich several times a year

can't be leading
too dull a life.

You make it sound as if he had
a mistress there or something.

Well, what does
he have in Zurich?

Old friends going all the
way back to World War II.

Actually, I have an old mistress

going all the way
back to World War II.

(all laugh)

You know, rumor has it

that you like to do a
bit of traveling yourself.

No luck with Jed, I see.

Not that it's any great loss.

Those creative types
can be such rogues.

By the way, whatever
did you say to Robert?

He hasn't been in a funk
like this since Dicky resigned.

Hi.

(inaudible dialogue)

Those guys are up
to something, all right.

I can smell it.

But like I said, I need
proof that it's illegal.

Bank receipts, memos,
letters, tape recordings,

something that will
tell me and the public

exactly what's going
on up there, okay?

I'll have your proof for
you by tomorrow night.

I promise.

Ten thousand dollars?

Yeah.

It's my own money.

I figured if I asked
the paper for it,

they'd just give the
story to somebody else.

Good luck.

And be careful.

Those guys aren't stupid.

Nice thing is, they think I am.

( mysterious theme playing)

If we're gonna meet
Dobson in the bar at 6,

we're going to have to hurry.

You won't forget my
wife, now, will you, Karen?

No, I'm going directly from here

to the airport to pick her up.

Good girl. See you tomorrow.

Uh-huh.

(door closes)

( tense theme playing)

(elevator dings)

( suspenseful theme playing)

It's gone. She took the bait.

Damn.

Call the others.

Looks like we've
got a leak to fix.

( suspenseful theme playing)

(phone ringing inside)

(beeps)

Hello?

MELINDA (on phone): Karen,

I've been calling for two
hours. You had me worried.

Well, I had to pick
up the senator's wife

at the airport and
then take her home.

Did you find anything?

Yes, yes, a ledger.

It was in Senator
Crawford's desk.

Could you hurry?

I'm really starting
to feel creepy.

Yeah. Okay, I'll be
there in a few minutes.

( ominous theme playing)

(gasps)

Karen.

Karen?

( ominous theme playing)

(beeps)

(gasps) (alarm sounds)

( action theme playing)

(engine starts)

(tires screech)

Stay right there and don't move.

MATLOCK & CASSIE: ♪ When
it's peach pickin' time In Georgia ♪

♪ Yes, it's gal
pickin' Time for me ♪

♪ Yodel-ay-ee, hey ♪

♪ Oh-lay-hee-ho
Ah-dee-oh-lay-hee ♪

♪ Whoa-ho-ho Ho-ho, ha ♪

(both laugh)

You like that, don't you?

What?

Messin' with your ukulele.

Oh, yes.

I'll always like that.

(strums ukulele)

I'll tell you
something else I like.

What's that?

I like livin' in Georgia.

I love Georgia.

Home sweet home?
Home sweet home.

No place like it. Ha-ha-ha.

I'll tell you the truth...

I'll tell you the
truth, I just as soon

never have to
leave Georgia again.

(phone rings)

♪ Well It's peach pickin' time ♪

♪ In Georgia ♪
Ben Matlock.

♪ Apple pickin' time... ♪

Who is it?

Washington, DC.

( mysterious theme playing)

Yes?

( somber theme playing)

MAN: Come in.

Oh, you must be,
uh, Ben Matlock.

Yes.

Tom Shuford. Oh,
nice to meet you.

I'm not holding up
the presses, am I?

Oh, not at all. Take a seat.

Thank you. Ahem.

Did you talk to Melinda?

Well, I thought I
should talk with you first.

About your fee.

Well... Well, it's high,

but the paper has
no problem with it.

Good.

You want your fee now.

All of it.

In advance. Well, yes.

Newspapers these
days have a tendency

to do something that
I find very disturbing.

Like what? Go out of business.

(laughs)

Mr. Matlock, this is
the Washington Tribune.

We're solid as a rock.

Well, that's what they said

about the New
York Herald Tribune.

MATLOCK: Let's start right off

with everything, okay?

She was shot with your gun.

I never carried
that gun with me.

I always kept it at home.

And you were caught
running from the scene.

The burglar alarm went off.

I panicked.

The police say you gave
this young woman $10,000.

Yes. She had given
me some information

and she was going
to give me something

that would prove it was true.

But she never did.

She never had the chance.

By the time I found
her, she was dead.

The police think

you went over there
to get your money back.

And when she refused,

you got mad and shot her

when she hit the panic
button of the alarm system.

I didn't say that's
what I believe.

That's what they believe.

She came to me
because she thought

the man she worked for

was involved in some
sort of conspiracy.

Are you talking about
Lambert Crawford?

It's all on the interview tapes.

Senator Crawford, his
aide, Michael Fitzmorris,

Robert Irwin, and Jed Palmer.

She was sure that they
were up to something illegal.

They must've figured out that
Karen was feeding me stuff,

so to get rid of both of us,

they murdered her and framed me.

This... This proof... You
have any idea what it was?

She said it was a ledger.

Was it in her
apartment that night?

I never looked.

What was that address?

( suspenseful theme playing)

Ben, hi. Come on in.

Oh.

I thought it'd be the
police who let me in.

That's who let me in. Oh.

Ah.

Well.

Well.

(whistles): Not bad.

Secretary, huh?

Secretary. Hm.

Well, not too shabby.

Ah.

Hm.

Extracurricular activities?

I guess whoever she was
seeing wanted to see her in...

More comfortable surroundings?

Something like that. Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah, yeah.

Oh.

Oh, and, uh, that
ledger isn't here.

What do you think, probably
back in the senator's desk?

Or in the desk of
one of the other three.

Mm.

Senator? Senator Crawford?

Uh, I'm Ben
Matlock from Atlanta.

I-I apologize for
barging in like this,

but there's nobody out front.

It's all right. Come on in.

Things are a little
discombobulated right now.

It's an honor to meet you, sir.

It's something I've
always wanted to do

ever since you
introduced that legislation

giving low-interest
loans to students.

Without you, a lot of kids

wouldn't have had a
prayer of going to college.

Please, sit down. Oh, thanks.

It's an honor.

Uh... Are you aware

that I am representing
Melinda Stuart?

Oh. How can I help?

Well, Melinda's convinced
that your former secretary,

Karen Wyler, was murdered

because she had gotten wind

of, uh, some conspiracy.

I liked Karen.

I can't tell you how
much it hurt to hear

that she tried to sell
some bogus story

about me to the press.

You think she made it up?

Somebody did.

Was anything taken
from your office

the night she was killed?

No.

FITZMORRIS: Lambert,

I just talked with Cole, I
think he's ready to swing over.

Ben Matlock, this
is my right hand,

Michael Fitzmorris. Hello.

Pleasure to meet you, sir.

Mr. Matlock is
representing Melinda Stuart.

We were just talking
about that story

Karen apparently sold her.

Oh, yes.

Uh, it's, um...

It's almost time
for roll call, senator.

You need to get
down to the floor.

Well, Mr. Matlock,
it's been a pleasure.

Oh, my pleasure.

I'd vote for you anytime, sir.

Goodbye. Goodbye.

Next time under more
pleasant circumstances.

It's... It's an honor.
It's an honor.

Honor.

Uh, if you, um...

If you have any more questions,

maybe I could help.

Well, there is this one. Yes?

It's one of those
awkward questions,

but in my job I have to ask.

Where was the senator the
night Karen was murdered?

He was with me,

working on the speech
that he gave the next day

soliciting support for his
aid to the homeless bill.

We were right
here in the office.

You can check the
security... Oh, no, no, no.

I'm sure that's true,

and I'm sure that whoever
works for Lambert Crawford

has as much
integrity as he does.

Of course, that...
That wasn't quite

the case with Karen, was it?

Well, sometimes the
senator is too big-hearted

for his own good.

He knew that she was

what is known in this
town as a Potomac Cadet.

Girls who don't mind being used

as long as it's by
men with power.

He felt sorry for her

and thought that she
deserved another chance.

Yeah.

Well, thank you
again. Oh, my pleasure.

( suspenseful theme playing)

WOMAN: It's about time.

I fixed myself a drink, honey.

I hope you don't mind.

I'll be glad to fix
you one afterwards.

You like it, Rufus?

You're gonna love it.

My name's not Rufus.

You've got the wrong room.

You've got the
wrong attitude, baby.

Oh, oh. Wait.

Wait, wait, wait, wait.

No, wait a minute. No, no, no.

Wait, wait. Wait just a
minute. Wait just a minute. No.

Oh, wait, wait, wait.

Wait! Wait a minute. Wait.

Wait. Wait a minute.
Wait a minute.

Hey, hey, hey, hey!

What the hell's going on?

I was told to come up
here and entertain you.

Who told you? Some
guy who drove by,

said you liked surprises,
and I'd like my money.

Two-hundred dollars.

You get out of here.

You can go in your dress
or in your underwear,

but you get out of here now!

( tense theme playing)

Get out of here.

(phone rings)

What? MAN: Mr. Matlock,

if you're not back in
Atlanta in 24 hours,

the pictures that
were just taken

will go into the
National Informer.

( dramatic theme playing)

( tense theme playing)

Mr. Shuford, we got a problem.

What kind of problem?

Somebody wants me
to drop Melinda's case.

They hired a hooker
and a photographer

to ambush me last night,

and now they're threatening
to give the pictures

to one of those scandal sheets.

What did you tell them?

I told them to go to hell.

It's common knowledge
your newspaper is backing me,

so if I get dragged
through the mud,

you're going with me.

If somebody wants you
off this case that badly,

it means something
big really is going on.

Let's go for it.

(intercom buzzes)

Shuford.

Yes, he's here.

Just a moment. It's for you.

Hello?

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah, all right.

All right, I'll be right there.

Thanks for coming, Mr. Matlock.

Paul Davies, federal agent.

What's goin' on?

Karen Wyler stumbled onto
something she shouldn't have

and made it worse by
contacting your client.

Because of them,

a major investigation
is now in jeopardy.

What kind of investigation?

All I can tell you is it
involves national security.

I'm just trying to keep an
innocent woman out of prison.

Your reputation
precedes you, Mr. Matlock.

In order to prove
your client is innocent,

you'll undoubtedly go looking
for the person that is guilty.

We can't have that.

Your nosing around

could scare the people
we're looking for off.

What do you want me to do?

Plead your client guilty.

Our investigation
will be over soon.

We'll drop all the charges.

She won't spend a day
in prison, I promise you.

You're crazy.

(chuckles)

You know, we've been
keeping an eye on you

since you came to
town, watching the people

that we're investigating,
watching you.

My men nailed the
would-be blackmailer

just after he developed
his piece of film.

Here.

All the negatives are there.

Who did this? I'm sorry.

I can't tell you that.

So in appreciation,

I'm supposed to do
what you ask. Is that it?

You can do whatever
you like, Mr. Matlock.

Just remember, these
people play for keeps.

The next time, they may just do

a lot more than take pictures.

What are their names?

I can't answer that.

The highest levels
of national security

are involved here

and any breach
of confidentiality

could have severe consequences.

My superiors would like to
know how you intend to proceed.

I'm sorry. I can't answer that.

( suspenseful theme playing)

Why, hello, Tyler.
When'd you get in?

As soon as I could.

You know, I love this town.

I love the vibes here.

I have always
been into raw power.

MAN: So I hear.

Well, these bigtime
defense lawyers,

my experience has been
that the guiltier their client,

the higher their fee,
and the more outrageous

their behavior in
the courtroom is.

Uh, excuse me, sir,

I'm, uh, Ben Matlock,
counsel for the defense.

Before the beginning
of any procedure,

I like to shake hands
with the prosecutor.

I'm the judge.

And how does your client plead?

MATLOCK: Not guilty, Your Honor.

Also, defense would
like to waive time

and proceed directly
to the matter of bail.

One million dollars.

One million dollars?

If I heard you correctly,

you heard me
correctly, counselor.

As for the trial date,

how does 9 a.m. on the
second of next month sound?

The prosecution has
no objection, Your Honor.

Defense has no objection.

I'd like to see counsel
in my chambers.

Do you think the Trib
will spring for the money?

I hope so.

Mr. Shuford's got a bondsman.

Is Judge Dunaway going
to preside at the trial?

It looks like.

MELINDA: He has a reputation.

Yeah? Yeah.

For being the most meddlesome,
interfering judge on the bench.

Oh, now, don't worry.

That's just show for the press.

I'm sure I'll get in chambers

and find him to be a
very reasonable man.

DUNAWAY: I hate to waste time,

and I hate to waste money,

and especially I hate it
when I'm forced to waste both.

Of course, I understand

why you plead
your client not guilty.

Because she's innocent.

I know perfectly well

that it's because you
intend to turn my courtroom

into a headline-generating
sideshow.

I intend to do nothing

but pursue a vigorous defense.

Counsel, my guess

is that what you intend
to pursue is publicity,

and I won't have
it in this case.

Formal news releases, the
afternoon press conferences,

the leaks, all to
taint the jury pool

and confuse the issues.

Your Honor... Don't
interrupt, counsel.

I'm well-acquainted
with defense techniques

of trial by the media.

So by this court's
own motion and order,

defendant and the people

are under a blanket gag
order in this case as of now

and continuing until
further order of the court.

Good day, gentlemen.

We're in trouble?

He's tough.

Melinda.

MICHELLE: Well, at least
there's a party late this afternoon.

What party?

Clarissa Irwin's party.

Who's that? Robert Irwin's wife.

Oh, yeah. Thought I
recognized the name.

I haven't seen her since
I was, oh, I guess, 17.

She and my father
are old friends.

They go all the way
back to prep school.

Anyway, she's having a
party and we're all invited.

All right.

It's, uh, black tie.

Well, I'll rent a tux and
charge it to my employer.

I guess I'll see you all there.

Uh, maybe you'd better not.

But all of our
suspects will be there.

Well, that's why.

I think we can operate
freer if you're not there.

Go up to your room
at the Mayfair Hotel.

Maybe you'd better stay there

and not talk to anybody,
not even a bellhop, okay?

Yeah, I guess.

(classical music
playing over speaker)

Oh, Michelle Thomas.

Look at you.

I turned my back
and you grew up.

(laughs) Aren't you gorgeous?

Thanks.

And these must
be your associates.

Yes. Clarissa Irwin,

I'd like you to meet Ben
Matlock and Tyler Hudson.

Nice to meet you. CLARISSA:
Welcome, all of you.

We wouldn't have
missed it for the world.

Uh, I rented a tuxedo,

but I didn't have
time to put it on.

You look lovely in your
suit. MATLOCK: Well...

Let me introduce you
to everyone. Have fun.

We'll start very small
and then work our way up.

I think the vice
president's over here.

(both chuckle)

So finally, finally,
the guy shows up

to shoot the commercial.

So we sit him down,

point him towards
the teleprompter,

and start rolling.

Only then do we
disc... Excuse me.

Robert, dear, I'd
like you to meet

the one and only Ben Matlock.

Oh. And Ben,

this is my one and only
husband, Robert Irwin.

Oh. Pleasure.

Hm, no champagne here, either.

Excuse me. You two talk
about courts or something.

Uh, Henri, ou est le booze?

(chuckles)

Clarissa mentioned

that you might be
joining us this afternoon.

Oh, did she? Uh-huh.

Because of your client,

there's a rumor
flying around town

that Senator Crawford and I

are involved in
something illegal.

Oh?

There is no truth to it.

Lambert is a long-time
client and a friend.

That's all.

Good friend.

Very good for a lot of years.

That's good It's nice.

Uh... I saw Senator
Crawford myself today.

That's a man that I've admired

for a long time,

and, um, I hated to do it,

but, you know, I have to know

where other people were

who were involved with Karen

at the time of the murder.

You asked him that?

Oh, no. I wouldn't ask him.

I asked his, uh,
assistant, Mr. Fitzmorris.

I see.

Would you like to ask me?

Well, yeah.

I was here at home with my wife.

Often I'm not, but
that night, I was.

Excuse me.

All right. Who are you?

No one seems to
know who you are.

Jed Palmer.

It's Michelle Thomas.

I'm an old friend of Clarissa's.

Well, who's your date?

Well, I don't have one.

(both laugh)

You're that famous
PR man, aren't you?

No, no. I'm, uh,
not that famous.

I just make other people famous.

You sure did a job
for Senator Crawford.

He was history before you
took over his last campaign.

All in a day's work.

Your work must be fascinating.

Only to the uninitiated.

Of course, I could take you

somewhere truly
spectacular and initiate you.

I'll get my coat.

(engine starts)

( suspenseful theme playing)

(engine starts)

MAN: Evening, Mr. Palmer.
PALMER: How you doing?

MAN: Fine, thank
you. PALMER: Good.

( mysterious theme playing)

(Tyler yelling)

(grunting)

Alright, mister. You behave
and you won't get hurt.

The tux! Don't hurt the tux!

Who are you? I'm
just a private citizen

who's seriously considering
making a citizen's arrest.

We're federal agents, pal.

Oh.

( dramatic theme playing)

( tense theme playing)

What's going on?

Have a seat.

I'd like you to
meet Mr. Whitehall,

and Mr. Cabek.

Federal agents.

He said he's your investigator.

That's because he is.

We apprehended him at
the residence of Jed Palmer.

Michelle left the
party with Jed Palmer.

As they drove off, I saw
that they were being followed.

So I jumped in my car
and followed the followers.

Turns out it was these guys.

Why are you people
following Jed Palmer?

I can't answer that.

Well, I guess we have
nothing to talk about.

Let's go, Tyler. I'm sorry.

Nobody leaves until the
special agent in charge

reviews the situation.

He's on his way
over here right now.

Well, give him our
very best. Excuse us.

We made six separate TV spots,

aired them three
times every night

on each of the major networks

for the last two weeks
of the campaign and won.

(laughs)

Well, with all the bad press
Senator Crawford's been getting

with this Karen Wyler thing,

it seems to me maybe
your job ended too soon.

Well, that's, uh...

That's not my area of expertise.

However...

You think there's anything
to that conspiracy story?

Nah,

the senator's about as
benign as they come.

You never picked up on anything

even a little bit illegal

when you were working with him?

I'm just a media consultant.

Why all these questions about
Lambert Crawford, anyway,

and, um, why are you so tense?

Am I?

In my professional
opinion, yeah.

Would you like to try
some of my therapy?

Thanks, but I think
I'd better go home.

Just kidding. (chuckles)

I-I don't even know
why you're in town.

You can tell me while
I'm driving you home.

I'll take a cab.

Then how am I gonna find
out where you're staying?

I'll give you a call.

I enjoyed the initiation.

Well, Mr. Matlock,

I was afraid something
like this might happen.

The only thing that's happened

is that your men have
detained my associate

and me here without
cause for close to two hours.

Oh, I apologize.

Of course, I warned you

that something like
this might happen.

How can we keep it
from happening again?

Well, the easiest
way would be to have

your client change
her plea to guilty.

What's the next easiest thing?

For us to communicate.

How about you keep me informed

of all your activities
from now on?

You can leave messages for me

on the machine at this number.

How about you keep me informed?

I can't do that.
It's a matter of...

National security.

I wish I could tell you
this won't happen again,

Mr. Matlock, but...

Well, at least they
didn't hurt the tux.

PROSECUTOR: And when
you ran ballistics tests on it,

what did you discover?

Bullets fired from that weapon

matched those taken
from the decedent's body.

And who was the
gun's registered owner?

The defendant, Melinda Stuart.

Thank you.

No further questions,
Your Honor.

DUNAWAY: Mr. Matlock?

Ahem. Lieutenant Norris,

uh, are you aware
that Melinda Stuart

called the police to report

that that gun was stolen?

Yes, but... And when
the officers arrived

at her apartment to investigate,

they found evidence to suggest

that a window had
been forced open?

Yes, but... So isn't it possible

that someone broke into
Melinda Stuart's apartment,

stole the gun,

used it to shoot the decedent,

left it at the scene of the
crime to incriminate her?

Objection. This is speculation.

Withdraw the question.

Thank you,
lieutenant. That's all.

DUNAWAY: No, that's
not all, Mr. Matlock.

I think this witness
was attempting

to explain his last answer.

Lieutenant?

Yes, sir. I was.

DUNAWAY: The jury has a right

and a duty to hear
the whole truth,

Mr. Matlock.

(murmuring)

I'm sorry, Your Honor.

Uh, I apologize.

Lieutenant, uh,

didn't Miss Stuart
call the police

to tell them that gun
had been stolen?

Yes, only it was
after the murder.

But considering the
fact that she was arrested

at the scene of the crime

and held in jail
until bail was posted,

didn't she notify the police
the gun had been stolen

at the earliest possible moment?

That's hard to say.

DUNAWAY: Was there any
evidence that her apartment

had been broken into?

Your Honor,

may I ask my own questions?

Proceed.

Was there evidence
that her apartment

had been broken into?

The marks that were
found at the window frame

could've been made
at any time by anybody.

I didn't ask you that!

I asked you did it look
like it was broken into.

Well, I suppose.

Nothing further.

DUNAWAY: Thank you, sir.

Redirect?

No, sir. The people
rest, Your Honor.

The court will take
a 15-minute recess,

after which the defense
will begin his case.

(bangs gavel)

We've gotta do
something about that judge.

He's gonna have the
jury convicting you.

It's not the damnedest
thing I ever saw, but it's close.

I want you to put
me on the stand.

What are you talking about?

I want you to put
me on the stand.

Melinda, I haven't prepared
you for direct examination,

forget what the prosecution
will put you through.

I'm the client. Now, don't I
have a say in the matter?

It is my life.

Yes, and I'm trying
to see you don't spend

the rest of it in prison.

Now, you're not
getting on that stand.

That's all there is to it.

But I think... It's over.

( tense theme playing)

Take a glance
over to your right.

The guy gets around, doesn't he?

Is the defense ready
to present its case?

Yes, we are, Your Honor.

I call as my first witness...

I'm going to be
the first witness.

Sit down. I'd like to
testify, Your Honor.

Your Honor, I'd like a
moment to confer with my client.

Your client doesn't seem
to want to confer with you.

Then I request an
immediate recess.

No! I confess. I'm guilty.

I shot Karen Wyler.

( dramatic theme playing)

(courtroom murmuring)

(banging gavel)

( dramatic theme playing)

( upbeat jazz theme playing)