Matlock (1986–1995): Season 3, Episode 10 - The Black Widow - full transcript

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Three days...

after this defendant took
the sacred vows of marriage

with Ann Wilson, Hmm.

He purchased a $1,000,000
life insurance policy

on his new wife's life.

The months went by.



One, two, three.

And then... Then,
ladies and gentlemen,

Ann Wilson disappeared
off the face of this earth.

She disappeared because

this defendant Kenneth
Wilson, her husband,

took her life away.

Huh.

A perfect crime.

Almost.

Tiny blood stains on
that blue bathroom towel.

And tiny blood stains

in the trunk of his car.

Both Ann Wilson's blood type.

Now, you can never bring
Ann Wilson back again.



No.

But you can and you
must find her killer

guilty of murder
in the first degree.

Thank you.

People of the State of
Georgia v. Kenneth Wilson.

You believe that,
ladies and gentlemen?

Thousands of
county and city police,

millions of dollars in
resources and bureaucracy,

and the prosecution
does not have a fingerprint,

a murder weapon, a witness.

They have not been
able to show us the body

of Ann Wilson to prove
beyond a reasonable doubt

that anyone took her life,

much less Kenneth Wilson.

Kenneth Wilson loved his wife.

He feels nothing
but grief at her loss.

He committed no crime,
perfect or otherwise.

You must understand his tragedy,

and his loss is his tragedy.

We find the defendant guilty.

Hi. Are you the manager?

We're filled up.
Nothing for rent.

No... Does Norman
Bauer still live here?

Not anymore.

Well, he moved?

He died.

When?

A few days ago. A
heart attack or something.

Everything. Cancer.
Smoked all the time.

Who came and got his things?

Nobody yet.

Uh, well, I had to
sell some of his stuff.

Pay the rent and utilities.

The rest is in the basement.

Look, I was his brother-in-law.

Um, I'd be happy to
clear his things out for you.

Fine.

50 buck storage
fee and it's yours.

I can't help it, Ben,
I love her! Who?

Bernice Wooley.

She's the love of my life.

Where did you meet
her? Templin's Bar.

Gorgeous brunette.

Big eyes.

Full lips.

How old is she?

Uh, 48-ish.

Oh!

And it's not just physical.

No, she's smart, too.

She does crossword
puzzles in ink.

And she knows all the words
to "Hard-Hearted Hannah."

At least that's
what she told me.

"Hard-Hearted Hannah,
Vamp of Savannah."

She's got a birthday coming up.

What do you think
I ought to get her?

Oh, I don't know.

Ladies like flowers or candy.

Too square.

Hmm.

Well, Ken!

Come in!

Ben, I've discovered
something you won't believe.

Yeah?

I heard you had been paroled.

Hey, Les, this is Ken Wilson.
My neighbor Les Calhoun.

Hey. Hey.

Hey. How do you do?

Now what was that
you were saying?

Do you remember
Norman Bauer? Uh...

He was my brother-in-law.

He was stationed in Greece
when my wife disappeared.

Oh, yeah.

Well, I tracked him down
to Atlanta. Is that right?

He's dead.

Oh, I'm sorry to hear that.

Ben, I have spent the last
seven years sitting in a jail cell.

Thinking about Ann
and nothing else.

I know and I'm sorry

I couldn't do more for you.

Nobody could have
done more for me.

You didn't have
anything to go on.

But I found something.

I found these in Norman Bauer's

personal effects.

They're cancelled
checks. Eight of them.

Each one of them is
made out for $100,000,

all of them payable to Golden
West Land Management.

Two checks a year
for the past four years.

Every one of those is endorsed
by somebody named Kelly Manning.

That's right, that's right.

Norman inherited all
that insurance money.

A million dollars.

Yeah, but you should have seen

the boarding house
he was living in.

It was a dump.

Well, if there was an
insurance policy on Ken's wife,

why did her brother
get all the money?

Because I was in
prison for Ann's murder.

Law says a criminal
can't profit by his crime.

Oh, that makes sense.

As I remember it,

the insurance policy
was Ann's idea, wasn't it?

Yes.

He brother inherits
all this money,

invests in some real
estate company in California,

and yet, he lives like a pauper.

Oh, Ben, you got
to get right on this

and this Kelly Manning
fella... That's your key.

Um, I-I-I wouldn't get
my hopes up too high,

but you're right. You're right.

This is something to go on.

Hi. Um, I'm here to
see Kelly Manning.

I'm Ken Wilson, but I
don't have an appointment.

Yes?

There's a Ken Wilson
here to see you.

She'll be with you
in just a minute.

Kelly Manning's a woman?

Definitely.

Mr. Wilson?

Ann?

I'm Kelly Manning.

You wanted to see me?

Mr. Wilson?

I'm sorry. You...

You remind me of
someone. I'm sorry.

Oh, that's all right.

What can I do for you?

Uh, Norman Bauer.
We were related.

He sent you a lot of
money over the years

and I wondered why.

Oh, Mr. Bauer is
one of our investors.

He died.

When did he die?

Just-Just recently.

Oh, I'm sorry.

Are you an accountant?

No. No, I'm not.

Well, uh...

If you'll excuse me,
Mr. Wilson, I really must get...

Wait, wait, wait.

Please. You look
so much like Ann.

Please, Mr. Wilson.

What's going on here?

Mr. Wilson seems to
have made a mistake.

That's all. Haven't
you, Mr. Wilson?

I'm sorry.

Hello, Kelly!

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Absolutely, it's
a terrific deal.

You'll love your new
weekend home at Sun Springs.

The entertaining you'll
do? Don't forget to invite me.

Ask any banker, any
investment counselor,

anybody that knows
anything at all about money,

and they'll all tell
you the same thing:

real estate.

Do you carry the
financing yourselves?

Great crowd.

Mm. Didn't imagine
it would go so well.

Listen, I better
go. See you later.

Okay, sounds good.

Ann, how could you do that?

Mr. Wilson, I already told
you, you made a mistake.

What about this?

You broke into my house?

Okay, pal,

what's with you? I gave this
to you as a wedding present.

He is crazy.

You sent me to prison for a
crime that never happened.

How could you do that?

Just so you could
collect a million bucks?

Okay, okay, okay.

Ann, why? This guy's a
nut. Get him out of here.

I don't understand why.
We loved each other.

Come on! Come on!
We were married! Why?!

What's going on here?

Hey, the guy's crazy.
What can I say?

Here, kitty-kitty-kitty-kitty!

Kelly? Are you all right?

Kelly?

Kelly?

Uh...

Oh!

Help!

Are you gonna play? I
might as well play with the cat.

Oh, it's just that other
guys are chasing Bernice.

Oh.

Chester Taft took her
bowling the other night.

Oh. I-I don't think I know him.

Oh, he wears his
hair in a pompadour

and thinks he's Don Ameche.

Mm.

Anyway, I finally found

the perfect birthday
gift for Bernice,

and I have to send away,
and it won't get here in time.

Well, that's... Hello.

You're kidding?

No. No, no,
listen, listen, listen.

Don't say anything to anybody.

I'm on my way.

Who was that?

Ken Wilson's just been
arrested for killing his wife.

Again?

The fact is that a person
in the state of California

is dead, the victim of a
violent and brutal murder.

But it's unconstitutional!

My client has already
paid the penalty

for this crime in full!

He paid the penalty for
that crime, Mr. Matlock,

not for this one.

This is not a
constitutional issue here.

Are-are you saying
we should just forget

about the seven
years he spent in prison

for this very same crime
he's now accused of?

What are you
suggesting, counselor?

He paid for the
penalty for this crime

in advance? That's outrageous!

I'm suggesting... Thank
you, thank you, counsel.

I've heard enough.

This court specifically
finds that the defendant

would not be facing
double jeopardy.

Therefore, defense
motion to dismiss is denied.

The trial date remains the same.

I look forward to seeing
you next week, counsel.

The court's adjourned.

Ben Matlock, this is Bob
King and Steve Davidson.

Mr. Matlock.

Oh, well, this is an
unexpected pleasure.

I thought my meeting
was just with Mr. Davidson.

Well, I have to be at Sun
Springs in less than two hours.

Mm. Please, sit down.

Oh.

Mr. Matlock, these
are real Havanas.

May I offer you a smoke?

No, I, uh, I, uh, the
only smoke I like

is in a fireplace
or under a nice

shoulder of pork.

What can we do
for you, Mr. Matlock?

Please, sit down.

Uh, thanks. Well,
you have me curious.

I-I just was wondering why
two honest businessman

like yourself would get involved

with a con artist
like Kelly Manning.

We got conned.

She presented herself as
a hard-working young lady

that wanted to learn
the real estate business

and we bought it.

Oh. The way I hear it, you
gave her a full partnership

the day after she
walked through the door.

Uh...

Let me explain. Kelly Manning
bought her way into this company

with $400,000. Made
her very welcome.

We didn't know she obtained
this money through fraud.

Oh.

Uh, well, I-I don't suppose
either one of you killed her?

I mean, you both had alibis?

I was with one of our
sales representatives,

Terri Young, till,
ooh, about 2:00 A.M.

Oh... Oh, strictly
business, gentlemen!

Mr. King?

I was at home reading.

By yourself?

Yes, by myself.

I'm sorry. I think
I'm gonna be late.

Oh. Well, I appreciate
your time. Certainly.

Hey, if there's anything
else we can do for you.

Thank you. Thank you very much.

Please. Mm-hmm.

Sun Springs was made
for couples like you.

You're absolutely
gonna love it out here.

What time would you like
me to meet you at the bank?

Okay, see you then. Bye.

Hi. Can I help you?

That's quite possible.

Sun Springs looks like
a perfect investment.

We expect our homes
to double in value.

Now you're talking
my kind of numbers.

Do you want to buy
one of our homes?

One is light housekeeping.

I'm talking investment here.

Five, maybe six.

Six?

My only concern is that
my investment appreciate.

I need to know that
Sun Springs is going

to be a stable community.
Now, I have heard otherwise.

There's this issue
of a Miss Manning.

Now, please, be candid
with me, Miss Young.

I am about to hand you
a fortune in commissions.

Now, did Miss Manning
have an argument

with her business partners?

She did not.

And did you get
along well with her?

That's rather a
personal question.

But we didn't argue.

In fact, on the
night of her murder,

I was with one of
the partners working.

Thank you. I didn't
mean to get personal.

You've been very nice.

Bye-bye.

Excuse me. Do you
have a business card?

Of course.

"Tyler Hudson."

You're a private investigator?

Get out of here!

You know, I really don't want
to talk about this right now.

I'm very upset.

Were you a close
friend of Kelly Manning?

Well, I wouldn't
exactly say that.

It's hard to be close to someone
who has everything, you know...

Brains, money, looks.

Especially when they're
not too fond of company.

But you called the police?

Well-well, yeah, I found her.

And you know, as soon as I
pushed open that front door,

I had the most awful feeling,

because she used to
always keep it locked.

She insisted on her privacy.

But you came in?

Well, yeah, I did come in.

Well, did you see
anything or hear anything?

Well, I-I, um, called
her name twice,

because she didn't always
answer the first time, and...

Did she answer this time?

No, no, but-but I
did hear something.

Um, I can't describe it.

It, um... well, it
sounded like, um...

"beep-beep."

"Beep-beep."

Well, anyway, then
I heard somebody

going out the back
door, you know,

so I called out again

and when I still
didn't get an answer,

then I... went in there.

And that's when I saw...

poor Kelly lying there.

Oh, the blood all over.

Still beautiful, but...

Oh, I'm-I'm...
just... I'm too upset.

You have to
excuse... Oh, I'm sorry.

I'm sorry.

Hmm.

I told you I didn't
tell him anything.

How do I know you
didn't let something slip?

'Cause I'm too smart to slip.

I'm too smart not to know
when somebody owes me,

and you owe me big...

Maybe I should wait outside.

Hey, Mr. Matlock!

No, please come
in. What a surprise.

Mr. Matlock, this
is Terri Young.

Oh, a pleasure.

I hear you've been
selling up a storm up here.

Sun Springs is a
fabulous opportunity.

Our homes practically
sell themselves.

Oh, it's nice.

There's no smog, the air's crisp

and the drive's not bad.

It only took me, oh...

My watch has stopped.

What time do you have?

Oh, it's 11:19.

Ooh, that's one of those
digital electronic things.

Look at all those buttons.

So, to what do we
owe this pleasure?

Oh, I just wanted to
see your place. Yeah.

What time do you have?

11:20.

I have a friend...
He's a heart patient,

and he sets the
alarm on his watch

to tell him when
to take his-his pill.

Does your watch have an alarm?

Time, date, alarm.

Costs $200 at
Simpson's on Wilshire.

Sun Springs.

Terri Young speaking.

Mr. Matlock, if you
want to look around

on your own here,
please feel free.

Oh, yes, I understand.

Are you looking for
something, Mr. Matlock?

Oh, no, no, I
just... What's this?

Well, it's a pump.

We had it covered to prevent
it from being tampered with.

Sad to say, even way
out here we have vandals.

Oh. Gee, look at that watch.

Can I see that.

Yes, top of the line.
It does everything

but tap dance.

Does it have an alarm?

No, no, no, no, no, no.

Watch alarms are for
people who need reminding.

I never forget anything.

Oh, hey.

I was right there.

And what did the defendant
say to the victim, Miss Young?

He said, "Why?

I don't understand why."

He had a very strange,
almost crazy look in his eyes.

And by 11:00 that night,

just three and one half hours
later, she was found dead.

Nothing further.

Thank you.

Uh, Miss Young, where were you

between 8:00 and midnight

the night Kelly
Manning was murdered?

Objection. The whereabouts
of this witness is irrelevant.

The witness is not on trial.

Your Honor, if I
might have a moment,

my intent will become clear.

Very well. Overruled.

Please, uh, please
answer the question.

On the night of the murder,

I was at home going
over some paperwork

with one of the partners
at Golden West...

Mr. Davidson.

We worked from 8:00 till
almost 2:00 in the morning.

You were not at a concert
at Hollywood Bowl that night?

No.

Would you please tell the court

who is... Chuck Carvalis?

He's a man I date.

He went with you to a
concert at the Hollywood Bowl

the night Kelly
Manning was killed,

didn't he?

My associate...

found this parking stub
from the Hollywood Bowl

for that night on your car.

Now I can call
Mr. Carvalis up here,

but if I do, it will show

that one of you is
committing perjury.

Do you want that?

So were you at home
with your boss that night

or at the concert?

At the concert.

Why did you lie, Miss Young?

I lied because Steve
Davidson said he'd fire me

if I didn't give him an alibi.

You want to know
who killed Kelly?

Ask him, ask Steve.

He's the reason I lied.

I'm ashamed to admit it,

but yeah, I did, I
told Terri to lie for me.

I'm sorry. I was wrong.

I realized I didn't
have an alibi.

I panicked.

I was wrong.

See, I was in my car, when...

you know, Kelly was killed.

What happened was,

at the sales presentation
meeting that night,

I realized that there's
some important papers

I've left at Sun Springs.

So I had to go back there.

And you know
how long that takes.

I didn't get back
till after midnight.

And there I was, I'm alone.

I didn't use the car phone.

I didn't even stop
for a cup of coffee.

I bet you smoked one
of those Havana cigars

on the way back, though.

Yeah, probably.

And you always use those
long wooden safety matches

to light them, don't you?

Yeah.

Like, uh... Let's see...

Like, uh, like that?

Yeah. Yeah.

And like, um...

like that?

Uh, this was found at
Kelly Manning's house

after the murder.

Now what would a burnt
safety match be doing

in her wastebasket?

I don't know. How should I know?

You smoked a cigar at her
house that night, didn't you?

Objection. Calls
for speculation.

Withdraw the question.

This match did
make me think of you.

So I did some checking.

Is that your signature

on the bottom of
this credit card receipt

from Ed's Gas Station,

just two blocks from her house

and dated the very
evening of the murder?

Yeah.

So you killed her. No!

Okay, I-I was at
her house that night,

but that's it, I just went
over there to find out

why-why this guy was
walking around saying that,

you know, she was his dead wife.

And when you found out what
she had done seven years ago,

you murdered her

in an attempt to protect
Golden West Land Management.

No! No way!

You were angry. Yeah,
of course I was angry.

You were very upset over what
could happen to your company.

Yeah, of course I was upset.

And you expect the
people in this courtroom

to believe that Kelly
Manning was alive

when you walked
out of her house?

Yes, I do. They must.

She got a phone call.

She asked me to leave.

I left.

Oh, come on.

That's the truth, I swear it.

You've lied to this court so
many times I've lost count.

Mr. Matlock,
you've got no proof.

And you're never
going to have any proof,

because I did not
kill that woman.

No further questions.

Due to the lateness of the hour,

this court will adjourn
until 9:00 a.m. Tuesday.

I thought I had him.

Hang on, Ken.
Ain't nothing easy.

Okay, how about this?

No.

That's not it, Tyler.

All right, here's another one.

Uh-uh. That's not it either.

Wait a second.

How about this?

I'm afraid not, Tyler.

You're sure none of those
were the beeps you heard?

Well, I'm positive.

They're either too
low or too high or too...

I'm really sorry.

Yeah, I'm sorry, too.

I thought we were
onto something.

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Oh! Oh!

Excuse me! Oh, I'm sorry.

Excuse me.

Nice things, huh?

Oh, yeah. Yes.

May I help you, sir?

Oh, yes. I'm-I'm, uh...

I'm here for a friend.

Of course. And what
size is your friend?

Oh... He's about... Like that.

Of course.

Does he prefer a tailored look?

Um, well... It, uh...

Or would he like something
a little more lively?

Oh, I, um... Oh, he, um...

He gave me this picture.

Oh.

I don't think I'd
have this in his size.

Oh... It's-It's-It's not...

It's not for him.

He's a... It's for his girl.

He, uh, he's got a girl.

Well, honey, I think
that's wonderful.

Now, I'll just show you
what's pictured here

and some other things. You
tell me when you're moved.

Okay.

Something like this?

Oh, well, that's very nice.

This?

Oh, that's-that's nice.

It's-It's, uh... Airy.

Are we getting warmer?

Oh, I say, that's, uh...

Arlene, what do you think?

Terrific.

Uh...

Uh, listen, I'm-I'm going to
go, uh, get some other stuff.

I mean, just stuff.

And I'll think about all this
and probably come back.

Woops! Let met turn that off.

Never a dull moment.

Uh, this residential development

out at Sun Springs that
we've talked so much about...

it's pretty hot out there
most of the year, isn't it?

The sun shines on Sun Springs
an average of 330 days a year.

It's in our brochure.

Pretty dry, too.

Yeah, it's great for
people with allergies.

How about water?

Water?

Yeah, you got water out there?

Why do you think we
call it Sun Springs?

Or maybe it's because you hope

people will believe there
is an underground spring,

so all they have
to do is get a pump.

But your little
irrigation system

doesn't run by pump, does
it? It comes out of a tank.

A tank that you have
to keep hidden away

because it has to
constantly be filled,

because, in truth,

there isn't an aquifer within
30 miles of Sun Springs,

is there?

Well, the water
will be piped in.

At a cost so excessive
that these poor people

you snookered into
buying lots out there

will go broke just trying
to fill their bathtubs.

I've never snookered anyone.

People been taken
in like this forever,

and Lord knows,

plenty of useless
swamp land's been sold

to the unsuspecting, and here

Mr. King and his associates
have been selling desert.

I'm talking sand, rocks,

and no water and
no hope for water.

Did you think suddenly
there would come a big rain

because you're good
looking? That's stupid.

What you planned to do was
get your money as fast as possible

and get out of here to another
state or another country.

Unfortunately...

a lot of people get away
with garbage like this,

but every once in a while,
somebody gets caught.

The system works.

It took the death
of Kelly Manning,

or Ann Wilson, same
person, Ken Wilson's wife.

Your scam has been uncovered.

It's over.

There was no scam.

Kelly Manning owned 50%

rather than the usual
33.3% of Sun Springs,

so, if anything happened to
her, you stood to gain quite a bit

monetarily, didn't you?

Yes, but what does that prove?

Isn't that why first,
Steve Davidson,

and then you, went
over there that night?

No.

You knew my
client was distraught.

Almost out of control.

You knew he broke
into her house.

And probably his fingerprints
were all over the place.

I-I... Didn't you
kill Kelly Manning,

so that your scam would
never be uncovered?

And Ken Wilson, being an
ex-con, was the perfect patsy?

Objection.

Mr. Matlock is not only
badgering the witness,

he is engaging in
rampant speculation.

Sustained.

This line of questioning,
if you can even call it that,

is unacceptable, Counselor.

Yes, Sir.

Uh, how about this?

Miss Manning's
next-door neighbor

Estelle Metzger testified that
at approximately 11:00 pm,

she heard Miss Manning scream,

entered her house,
heard two strange beeps,

heard someone go
out the back door,

discovered Miss
Manning's dead body.

Where were you at
approximately 11:00 pm?

At home.

Where was your
car? In the garage.

Are you certain?

Absolutely.

At... 10:42 that night,

a call was placed from your car

to Miss Manning's house.

Your Honor, by
previous stipulation,

with the people, I offer

what purports to be Mr. King's
cellular car telephone bill

including the
night of the murder

and ask that it be marked
Defendant Exhibit "F."

It shall be marked.

Okay.

That is your number
and your bill, isn't it?

Well, it appears to be.

Yeah, and 555-8725 is or was
Kelly Manning's phone number,

wasn't it? Yes.

So, you were not
at home that night.

You were in your car.

In fact, it was you who called
while Mr. Davidson was there.

Yes.

Why did you call her that night?

I don't remember.

Let me see if I
can fill in the gaps.

You drove over to her house,

saw Steve Davidson's car there,

called her, told
her to get rid of him.

Said you needed
to talk with her alone,

but actually, you
intended to kill her,

which you did.

That is not true!

What's that?

Miss Metzger, is that
the sound you heard?

That's it! That's it!

Those are the beeps
I heard that night!

Those are the beeps?

Thank you, Miss Metzger.

Those beeps seemed to
be coming from your pocket.

Could we see what's making them?

It's my pager.

Oh. Mmm.

I heard one of these
the other day at a place.

Do you have a
service that beeps you

whenever someone calls
you or leaves a message,

as my associate just did?

Yes, that's right.

So, if what Miss
Metzger said is true,

and the beeps she
heard came from this,

then that must mean
you are the murderer.

No, as you said, a lot of
people carry those beepers.

It's simply a coincidence.

Hmm.

Ordinarily, I would
agree with that.

Except for this one last detail.

This is a copy of the record

your answering service
provided me with.

And do you know what happened

at approximately 11:00
pm the night of the murder?

That's right.

They paged you on your beeper.

Now, how did I know
that you weren't home

when they paged you?

Because you
responded to that page

by calling your
answering service at 11:05

from the phone in your car.

Mr. King, I have
to tell you the truth.

I don't believe
that's a coincidence.

We, the jury, find the
defendant not guilty.

Thank you, ladies and
gentlemen of the jury.

You're dismissed.

And this court is adjourned.

I can't thank you enough.

Second time's the charm, son.

Let's go home.

Oh, my, it is so wonderful
to be 40... something.

The party's almost over!

Plane just got here.

Did you get her something hot?

Bernice... Oh, thank
you, Lester, dear!

Oh... What is it?

Chester Taft got her a
digital watch with a moon on it.

Oh.

Oh, how sweet.

With all the little buttons.

Oh!

You devil!

Oh, you devil.

That is hilarious. Look at that.