Matlock (1986–1995): Season 5, Episode 19 - The Trial: Part 2 - full transcript
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Watch the floor, gentlemen.
Keep those people
back, will you, John?
He was a law clerk?
Terry Lasher.
I met him the other
day at the courthouse.
I had no idea that's
who I was talking to.
Makes sense, though...
Two of the suspects are judges;
the other one's an attorney.
Yeah, I guess he stumbled onto
whatever it is they were up to
and didn't know
what to do about it.
Should have just turned them in.
Bad career move.
Nobody likes a whistle
blower but the press.
I wonder what tipped them off.
I think I did.
You did?
I must have shaken
them up so bad today,
they started following me.
They recognized him, figured out
what was going on and shot him.
Well, just found the slug.
It's a .38 caliber.
Lab will know quick enough
whether it came from the same
gun that killed Howard Wright.
Did you check up on Tom O'Hare?
I sent a unit to his house
as soon as I got your call.
He was there; he said
he had come home at 7:00
and been there
ever since... alone.
Oh. I don't suppose he
told you where he was
the night Howard
Wright was murdered?
Working in his office, alone.
So, what do we do now?
I'm damned if I know, Conrad.
I guess we just keep
doing what he said
and look for the money.
Here's another one.
$370,000 was deposited
into the Connor
Corporation account
on 8/28/90.
That makes close to
$3 million, all coming into
the company within
the last three years.
But where's it coming from?
It has to be money
they've gotten illegally.
Maybe they're using the
Connor Corporation to launder it.
Well, we're talking about
judges and attorneys here,
not drug dealers.
I mean, what could they be into
that involves that
kind of money?
- Anybody want more coffee?
- Yeah, I do. Thanks.
Look at this.
Sam Bergstrom.
Who's Sam Bergstrom?
Connor Corporation wrote
him a lot of big checks.
Every time Tom O'Hare
and David Bennett got one,
he got one, too.
Only his were for deposit
only into an account
at the South Security
Bank of Savannah.
How much gas
you got in your car?
Superior Court
is now in session;
the Honorable Judge
Diana Levin presiding.
Ladies and
gentlemen of the jury,
have you reached a verdict?
Yes, Your Honor, we have.
The jury finds for the plaintiff
on all causes of action.
Damages for lost
profits are found
in the amount of $2.2 million,
for general damages in
the amount of $5 million,
and for punitive damages
in the amount of $1.3 million.
Thank you.
It has been a long, hard case.
We appreciate your
performing your civic duties.
You are discharged.
This court will stand
in recess until 2:00.
I... I can't believe it!
I still can't believe
it! We did it!
We won the case.
You deserved to win, Jim.
It's called justice.
You think they'll appeal?
They might, but I doubt it.
$8 million for Maxwell
Toys is not that much money.
May be cheaper for
them just to pay you off.
You know, about that letter...
No, that doll was your idea.
You sent them a letter, and
they stole what was in it, right?
Right, but...
You are entitled
to the money, Jim.
So there's no need to talk about
that letter now or ever again.
- Okay?
- Okay.
You take care.
Hey, Mr. O'Hare.
Congratulations.
Thanks.
Yeah.
What's your usual contingency?
One-third?
Well, boy, let me...
Hell, you just made...
nearly $3 million in there.
Is this what a
special prosecutor
does all day, Mr. Matlock?
Hangs around the
courthouse, harassing people?
Oh, no, no, no.
I never harass people
unless I'm thinking
of prosecuting them.
I told you before, I barely
knew Howard Wright.
Maybe that's why you killed him.
Maybe you weren't sure of
how he would react when the
police started questioning him
about that evidence
that he misplaced
in the Jimmy Giles case.
You're out of your mind.
I know about the money
you've been getting
from the Connor Corporation...
You and Judge Bennett.
And when I find out why
you've been getting it,
I may just come after you
for the murder of Terry Lasher.
All right, that's it.
I've had it with cops
showing up on my doorstep
every time somebody
dies in this town,
and I've had it with you.
If I hear you've repeated
this preposterous story
to anyone, I'll file
a defamation suit
that will leave you
financially crippled for life!
Do you hear me?!
I think everybody in
the parking lot heard you.
Oh, yeah.
Come on! What are you doing?
What's the hurry?
Will you stop it, please?
I'm too old for this.
Will you stop it?
Stop it!
Hey, wait a minute!
Will you stop it? My God!
Hey, sir?
Uh, is his bark
worse than his bite?
Actually, his bite's pretty bad.
Otis, will you stop that now?
Get in the house.
Oh. Oh.
Damn dog.
Do you take him on... a
walk every night at this time?
Well, it's good to keep
a dog on schedule.
Makes things more predictable.
7:53 p.m. every night,
Bethany's lawn, come
rain or come shine.
Hey.
Um, last Wednesday night,
when you passed the
Wrights' house over there,
did you see or hear
anything out of the ordinary?
Last Wednesday night...
The night Howard
Wright was killed.
No.
No, I-I-I'm sorry.
You did see something.
Wait a minute,
uh... Who are you?
My name's Ben
Matlock; I'm a lawyer.
Well, I don't want
to get involved.
But if you saw something,
you have to get involved.
It's your duty.
I just don't want some
killer coming after me next.
That-That-That won't happen.
That won't happen.
I... I promise you.
Okay.
Mr. O'Hare?
Mr. O'Hare, you're under arrest
for the murder of Howard Wright.
What?
We have an eyewitness
who saw you leaving
the scene of the crime.
All right. That's it, Matlock.
You were warned,
and you're gonna pay.
- Just come with us, Mr. O'Hare.
- False arrest
and defamation of character...
That's just for starters.
You can't have enough
malpractice insurance
to cover the charges I'm
gonna bring against you.
- Your career is over, Mr. Matlock!
- You have the right
- to remain silent.
- You'll never make another cent!
Any statement... any
statement you make...
You're gonna die!
- May and will be held against...
- There's a bullet for you!
You hear me?!
Your career is
over, Mr. Matlock!
He'll get over it.
It's gonna take a while to
get used to sitting over here.
Mm-hmm, it is.
Who's Mr. O'Hare
got defending him?
Chester Gaddis.
Member of the
bar in five states,
hasn't lost a
murder one case yet.
There's something I want
you to find out about him.
How much he charges?
- Yeah.
- Hmm.
Moving right along
to the matter of bail.
Does the, uh, prosecution
have any recommendations?
Ah, yes, sir.
Uh, not only has the
defendant been charged
with the heinous crime
of premeditated murder,
but he is considerably wealthy
and has no family to
bind him to the community.
The defense...
uh, prosecution...
Therefore recommends
bail be set at $1 million.
Defense?
Your Honor, uh, my
client has been accused
of a heinous crime, yes,
but proven guilty, no.
And not only has he
been an officer of the court
for 15 years, but
his contributions
to various
philanthropic activities
have made him a pillar
of the very community
the state would now have
you believe he wishes to flee.
I see no risk here whatever.
I recommend bail
not exceed $100,000.
I tend to agree, Mr. Gaddis.
Bail is set at $100,000.
Thank you, Your Honor.
He's good.
He dresses funny.
Hi.
I'm looking for Sam Bergstrom.
What can I do for you?
You're Sam Bergstrom?
The one that has an account
over at the South Security Bank?
Well, life is too short
to be writing "Samantha"
out all the time.
Uh, who are you?
Uh, I'm Russell Yeager, ma'am.
I'm from the IRS.
May I come in?
Invite somebody from the biggest
group of crooks in the country
into my home?
Not on your life.
Well, I need to ask you
a few questions, ma'am.
Go ahead.
We know some rather large
checks from the Connor Corporation
up in Atlanta have been
deposited in your account
over the last couple of years.
Are you an employee of theirs?
No.
Well, well, then why
are they paying you
all that money, ma'am?
Why do you want to know?
Well, there have been
some irregularities
at the Connor Corporation.
We're auditing all
their expenditures.
Uh, y-you're not auditing me?
You? No, no.
Good.
That money belongs to my niece.
Your niece?
Yes. Her accountant suggested
that she keep it in my name
for-for tax purposes.
I don't understand
all the ins and outs,
but I'm sure it's
quite legitimate...
In view of her job and all.
Which is what?
She's a judge.
Judge Diana Levin.
Got your message. What's... up?
I-I'm a bad man, Your Honor.
Uh, I'm the one who
slipped your clerk that note.
We need to talk.
Sit down here.
Yes.
Uh, an associate of
mine spoke to your aunt
down in Savannah today,
and you've been getting payoffs
from the Connor Corporation
just like Judge Bennett
- here and Tom O'Hare.
- Those aren't
payoffs, those are
- consulting fees.
- Consulting fees.
I don't think so.
I think the three of you are
using the Connor Corporation
to hold and distribute money
that you've come by illegally.
You are dead wrong.
I know your scheme has
something to do with Maxwell Toys.
And when the truth comes out
in court, and it will,
why, you'll go down right
along with Mr. O'Hare.
So, unless prison is
something you're just dying for,
if I were you, I'd tell me
what's going on right now.
You called this meeting
to offer us a deal?
One time only.
Oh, and-and to give you this.
- A subpoena.
- Uh-huh.
You are wasting
your time and mine.
Well-Well, it's, uh... uh...
I don't have anything
more to say to you, either.
Okay.
I guess I'll... see
you both in court.
Enjoy.
- Thank you.
- Yes.
Thank you for coming.
To be honest, I'm
not sure why I'm here.
Please.
Some wine?
No, thank you.
Michelle.
Michelle, I, uh...
I swear to you, I didn't
have anything to do
with Howard Wright's murder.
I didn't do it, and I
don't know who did.
You've got to tell Ben
Matlock to back off
before he ruins me.
That's why you asked
me to come here?
I meant something
to you once, Michelle.
I don't deserve
this, and you know it.
Just tell him the truth...
Tell him it wasn't me.
I can't believe you'd
try to use me like this.
What choice do I have?
My back's against the wall.
I can't do anything else.
You can tell us the truth.
I am, I swear.
The money you get from
the Connor Corporation...
Where does it come from?
I'm sorry.
If you want us to help you,
you're going to have
to tell us the truth.
You, uh...
You've turned into one
tough lady, Michelle.
I'm not sure it becomes you.
David, you're in a
great deal of trouble.
I'd like to help you.
It's up to you.
Well, what did you
see when you walked your dog
past Howard Wright's house
that night, Mr. Spaulding?
I saw a man rushing
out of the garage,
jump into his car and
go tearing out of there.
Uh-huh.
And is the man you saw that
night in this courtroom today?
Oh, yeah.
He's sitting right over there.
Let the record show that
the witness has pointed
to the defendant, Tom O'Hare.
Do you remember what
time it was you saw him?
- Around 8:00.
- You sure?
Positive.
It's always around that time
that Otis and I pass
the Wrights' house.
It's good to keep a dog
on schedule, you know.
Yeah, you told me
that, yeah, yeah.
So you're sure the man you
saw leaving the scene of the crime
at, uh, about 8:00... which
the-the coroner has established
to be the approximate time
of the murder... y-you're sure
that man was the
defendant, Tom O'Hare?
Positive.
Thank you.
Cross-examine?
Mr. Spaulding...
Where were you and Otis
the night you saw this person
leaving the garage?
At the end of the driveway.
And could you
see his face clearly
after he entered the car?
No.
So the only time you saw him
was after he exited the garage
and just before he entered
the car, is that correct?
- Right.
- Oh.
And approximately
what distance was it
from the garage to the car?
Oh, maybe... ten feet.
And approximately
how long did it take him
to cover that distance?
Six, seven seconds.
Six seconds?
To cover ten feet?
I thought you said
he was in a hurry.
Well, uh... Maybe
three... four... seconds.
Three seconds, tops. I timed it.
I also measured the distance
from the end of the driveway
to the garage.
It's 38 yards.
Does that sound
about right to you?
I guess so.
Huh.
Can you guess how many
lights illuminated the garage door?
Two, three.
One.
How's your eyesight,
Mr. Spaulding?
Do you wear glasses?
Only for reading.
So your vision
isn't exactly perfect?
No, it's not perfect,
but I don't find...
Did you happen to
catch the license plate
on the car that
night, Mr. Spaulding?
No.
Did you catch the
make of the car?
No.
How about the color?
Color... Uh...
beige, yellow,
something like that.
How about the man's
clothes? What color were they?
Uh, uh, d-dark.
Dark?
Mr. Spaulding, I don't doubt
you saw someone that night,
but whoever it was, you
saw him from a distance
of 38 yards,
by the light of a
single 40-watt bulb,
for a grand total of
maybe three seconds.
You can't remember
what his car looked like.
You can't remember
what his clothes were like.
Mr. Spaulding...
you can't say for sure that
was my client, can you?
No, I guess I can't.
Thank you.
I hate him.
I don't.
He reminds me of you.
Michelle, he's sneaky,
conniving, deceitful.
That's the cruelest thing
you've ever said to me.
Oh, Ben, I just meant
he's good, that's all.
I mean, you got
to give him that.
Like hell, I do.
He's not good.
Okay.
He's probably the best.
Beating the devil out of us.
I'm ready to cut a deal.
You've known the
defendant for how long?
About ten years.
Friends?
Not close friends.
More like, uh...
business associates.
What kind of business,
Judge Bennett?
A couple of years ago,
shortly after I was
appointed presiding judge,
Tom O'Hare came to
me with a proposition.
He said if I'd assign myself
to a multimillion-dollar
lawsuit that he'd just filed and
use all my powers
as presiding judge
to see to it that the jury
ruled in his client's favor...
he would split his one-third
of the judgment with me.
So that's what we did.
Did it work?
So well that we did it
again... Many times.
D-D-Do you mean to tell me
that a judge can
actually fix a trial?
Well, it's a, uh, obviously,
very subtle thing, but... yes.
Weren't you afraid that
somebody would, you know,
catch on to your scheme?
Very.
That's why we eventually
got a second judge involved.
Judge Diana Levin.
Yes.
Instead of assigning
all these cases to myself,
I was able to
assign some to her.
That way, we could
avert suspicion.
Go ahead.
She had a friend
named Glenn Connor
who owned a holding company,
the Connor Corporation.
Mm-hmm.
Uh...
I'm showing you a
ledger which was seized
by a search warrant from
the Connor Corporation offices,
and which, by
stipulation with counsel,
will be marked
"People's Exhibit 37"
and entered into evidence.
Now, how was the
money laundered?
After winning a judgment,
Tom would instruct his client
to pay his usual one-third
contingency fee in the form of
a cashier's check made
payable to a bank in the Bahamas.
Like these three checks here
for $125,000 to each of you?
Yes.
And, uh, that was, uh,
ostensibly for, uh...
uh, consulting work?
That's correct.
But you never did any
consulting work for them, did you?
No.
Now, this-this check here...
Right here for $75,000,
made out to Howard Wright...
What was that for?
That was his payment for
losing a vital piece of evidence
in a case he was prosecuting
against Jimmy Giles,
the man accused of
breaking into Maxwell Toys.
And who directed the Connor
Corporation to make the payment?
Tom O'Hare.
He was protecting Giles,
whom he'd hired to
plant evidence for him.
Oh, how do you know?
He told me.
Did he tell you anything else?
Yes, he did.
He told me that
he was afraid that
Howard would break
down and confess
if he was confronted
by the police.
Oh.
Oh, and if that had happened,
what would've
happened to Mr. O'Hare?
He would've been disbarred
and probably gone to prison.
Uh-huh.
But that never happened, did it?
Instead, Howard
Wright was murdered.
Nothing further.
Does defense wish to cross?
I've been sitting here
quietly, Judge Bennett,
because I've been waiting.
For proof.
And the problem is...
that you don't have any.
I-I mean, you can't prove
that my client was involved
in this ingenious plan
of yours, can you?
Of course I can.
Just look at that ledger.
Oh.
Well, this doesn't
prove that my client,
uh, never did any
consulting work
for the Connor
Corporation, does it?
Well, I know I didn't.
I don't give a damn
if you took money
under false pretenses,
Judge Bennett.
The question is: Can you prove
that my client did?
Well, uh... Can you prove
that he paid Howard Wright
to deliberately lose
a piece of evidence?
No, but he... Oh,
uh, can you prove
that he told you
that he was afraid
Howard Wright was
gonna get him disbarred?
No, but... No, but!
You cannot... prove
a single word of your
testimony against my client.
You certainly haven't
offered any evidence
that would involve him
in Howard Wright's death.
Nor can you offer such
evidence, can you...
Judge Bennett?
It's what happened!
Just because I can't prove
it doesn't mean it isn't true!
We're just supposed
to take your word for it?
Yes.
I think not.
No further questions.
Witness may step down.
Ben? Ben?
Hmm?
Bob Brooks just got
this from the police lab.
Oh.
This is inexcusable!
Mr. Matlock has had
the police department
at his full disposal
since day one.
For them to produce
evidence on his behalf
this late in the
day... it's outrageous!
Mr. Gaddis is absolutely
correct, Your Honor.
The police lab took way too long
to complete this analysis.
I wish we could've gotten
it to him much earlier.
Well, I just resent being
thrown a curve this...
halfway through a trial.
Yeah.
You had full
disclosure, Mr. Gaddis.
And you knew they
were running tests.
A half-day recess
should give you ample time
to work the results
into your defense.
Now, let's get back in there.
We'll put your witness
on the stand, Mr. Matlock,
and then recess till tomorrow.
I don't like this one bit.
I don't blame you.
Uh... Lieutenant Brooks...
When the police arrived
at Howard Wright's house
the night of the murder,
they found a fresh
puddle of transmission fluid
outside his garage.
Is that correct?
Yes, we did.
Where'd it come from?
A comparative analysis performed
after the defendant was arrested
shows it came from his car.
Meaning the defendant's car
was parked outside
his garage that night?
Yes.
Doesn't necessarily
mean the defendant
was in the garage,
though, does it?
No, but we also found a varnish
on the floor of Howard
Wright's workshop that night.
Uh, apparently, it had
spilled during the shooting.
Forensics has isolated traces
of that exact same
varnish on the fibers
of the floor mat on the driver's
side of the defendant's car,
as well as on the
bottoms of his shoes.
In other words, the defendant
was in Howard Wright's garage
the night of the
murder, wasn't he?
Objection.
Calls for a conclusion.
Withdraw the question.
Uh... thank you,
Lieutenant Brooks.
Uh, nothing further.
Mr. Gaddis?
No questions.
Witness may step down.
This court is in recess
until 9:00 a.m. tomorrow.
You lied to me, Tom.
Chester, I didn't kill him.
You were there!
And the jury knows
you were there.
I was there.
But I swear, I didn't kill him!
The whole thrust of my case
was proving that
you weren't there.
I discredited the eyewitnesses,
I discredited the police.
And now I look like a fool.
And you, Tom... you
look like you're guilty.
What do we do now?
I'm putting you on the stand.
Is that a good idea?
It's the only idea.
I don't want to put
any pressure on you,
but this better be the greatest
performance of your life.
Because if it's not,
you'll spend the rest
of your life in prison.
Everything David
Bennett said is true.
I conspired with him
and Judge Levin to fix
the outcome of certain cases.
And I paid Howard Wright to
lose a case against someone
who was instrumental
in my winning
a multimillion-dollar lawsuit.
But I did not kill him.
What were you doing in
his workshop that night?
Well, he was afraid the
police were onto him,
so he asked me for
$100,000 to leave town.
So I got the money, and I, uh,
I stopped by at 8:00 to
deliver it like we'd arranged.
Only, when I got
there, he was dead.
Somebody else had shot him?
I swear, under oath,
that I did not kill
Howard Wright.
Thank you.
Mr. Matlock?
So... so you paid Howard Wright
to lose the evidence
in a case against
Jimmy Giles, is that right?
I already said that, yes.
Well, you had a... you had a
very good reason to kill him.
I mean, if he had
gone to the police,
why... you would've
been ruined, wouldn't you?
Yes.
So you were paying him off.
Uh, what would...
what would keep him from asking
for another hundred thousand?
Nothing.
So you-you couldn't be sure.
I mean, you couldn't be
sure he wouldn't ask for more,
you couldn't be sure he
wouldn't go to the police,
so you did the only thing
you could be sure of...
You went to his house
that night, didn't you?
- I went to bring him the mon...
- Yes or no?
Yes, I went to his house.
- And you killed him.
- No.
He was dead when
I got there, I swear.
So, just-just like
your counselor
said to my witness
yesterday, we're just
- supposed to take your word for it.
- Yes.
I left the money there.
You what?
I was so frightened
when I saw him
that I ran away
without the money.
You left $100,000?
The first thing I saw when I
went in was him on the floor.
I thought he'd slipped in
the varnish and hit his head.
I put my briefcase down
and went over to him.
But then I saw the blood.
All of a sudden, the, uh,
the alarm on his watch went off.
I ran out of there
as fast as I could.
I didn't even remember the
money till the next morning.
There was no briefcase found,
let alone $100,000.
Well, that may be.
But I left it there.
Mr. Matlock?
Are you finished?
Y-Your Honor, um...
I'd like to ask for a recess
till tomorrow morning.
We just had a
recess, Mr. Matlock.
Do you have any idea how
backlogged this court is?
It-It's personal, Your Honor.
I don't... I don't feel so good.
It must be something
I ate for breakfast.
This court is in recess
until 9:30 a.m. tomorrow.
You all right?
I'm fine.
I just had to make sure
he gave me the recess.
But you had that guy...
Why did you stop?
'Cause he's telling the truth.
The truth?
Oh, Ben, that story
about the money is crazy.
That's why he's got
to be telling the truth.
I don't remember
seeing a briefcase.
What did you do
after you walked in
and found your husband?
I ran into the
house, called 911,
and I stayed in the house
until the police came.
And you don't remember
seeing or picking up a briefcase?
All I remember is
seeing my husband...
lying there, dead.
I'm sorry.
I got it.
I got the money right here.
Oh.
Hello?
Diana, dear, it-it's
your Aunt Sam.
I just got a call from a
man who said he was
a special prosecutor
or something
out-out there in Atlanta.
Ben Matlock?
Yes, Ben Matlock.
Anyway, he asked
me about the $100,000
you just, uh, wired to
your account down here.
I mean, you know, our account.
What'd he want to know?
Where the money came from.
What'd you tell him?
That I didn't know.
That's all I could tell him.
Uh, dear, is-is-is
everything all right with you?
Everything's fine, Aunt Sam.
It's nothing.
But thank you for calling.
And if he calls you again,
you let me know, okay?
All right, dear.
Good-bye, dear.
Bye.
I'm supposed to hand-deliver
some documents to Frank Scanzie.
Where's his office?
Third door on the right.
♪♪
Be seated.
Well...
did breakfast agree with
you this morning, Mr. Matlock?
Oh, very well, Your
Honor, very well.
Good.
Mr. Gaddis, next witness.
Uh, Your Honor,
the state would like
to reopen its case
in order to present
an additional witness.
I've already spoken
to Mr. Gaddis.
Mr. Gaddis?
I have no objections,
Your Honor.
Very well. Call your witness.
The state calls
Judge Diana Levin.
Approximately how much money
did this conspiracy
between you and Tom O'Hare
and Judge Bennett
net you over the years?
What conspiracy is that?
The same conspiracy
that Tom O'Hare
and Judge Bennett
admitted to in this courtroom.
I don't know anything about it.
Mm-hmm, okay.
You have a...
an aunt named, uh,
Samantha Bergstrom
down in Savannah, don't you?
Yes, I do.
And, uh...
there are deposits that you
make into her bank account
and she does
not, is that correct?
My aunt is elderly.
I worry about her,
so I send money
that I earn as a
consultant to her bank
in case of emergency.
Come on, now, come on.
Sam Bergstrom.
$125,000.
Sam Bergstrom.
$110,000.
Sam Bergstrom.
$95,000.
That's exactly the
same amount of money
that Tom O'Hare
and David Bennett got,
and they admitted
in this courtroom
that they were payoffs.
Not consultant fees, payoffs.
I can only speak for
myself, Mr. Matlock.
That money was for
services I rendered
as a legal consultant.
I subpoenaed the records of...
of your aunt's bank account,
and all the deposits
that were made
match exactly the checks
the Connor Corporation
made out to her.
All except this...
this last one.
This last one here.
$100,000.
Deposited the day after
Howard Wright was murdered.
Where'd that come from?
That was money I was
keeping in a safe-deposit box.
Are you sure it wasn't
the money Tom O'Hare left
in Howard Wright's workshop?
I'm positive.
Mm-hmm. What if Howard Wright
had told the police
a-about this conspiracy
that Tom O'Hare roped him into?
That would've been the end
of your career, too, wouldn't it?
Again, I don't know
anything about a conspiracy.
Uh-huh.
Uh-huh.
Did, uh...
did Tom O'Hare
tell you he was going
over to Howard Wright's
house at 8:00 that night?
No.
He told me he did.
Must have lied.
You sure you didn't
get there ahead of him
and shoot Howard
Wright to death?
No!
And then when Tom O'Hare
arrived ahead of schedule,
you hid so he wouldn't see you,
- didn't you?
- No.
And then, after he
went tearing out of there,
you thought, "Well, why waste
all this money on a dead man?"
So you took it
and deposited it in your
aunt's account, didn't you?
No.
Bet you wish you
hadn't done that.
That's what put us onto you.
Mistake.
She should've kept that cash
and bought some new shoes
or a robe or something.
May I see your watch?
Oh... it's got one of those
alarms that goes off every hour.
Another mistake.
You should've left this at home.
Howard Wright didn't have
a watch like this;
neither did Tom O'Hare.
It was your watch that
went off that night, wasn't it?
Thousands of people
have a watch like this.
That doesn't prove a thing.
But now... the murder weapon.
Mm!
There would be proof,
there would be proof.
The gun that killed
Howard Wright
and a law clerk
named Terry Lasher...
The riflings on...
both bullets in both
murders match exactly.
Unfortunately...
the gun has never been found.
That is... until yesterday.
The police found it
in a desk drawer in
the defendant's office.
Then why on earth am I up here?
Because you put it there.
I called...
your aunt down in
Savannah about that...
$100,000.
She called you, didn't she?
And then...
you did just what
I figured you'd do
when you figured I
was getting too close.
You killed two
birds with one stone.
You got rid of the
murder weapon,
and you did it in such a
way as to strengthen the case
against the
defendant, didn't you?
No.
You ever see yourself
on TV, Judge Levin?
We had TV cameras hidden
all over Mr. O'Hare's office.
But this is my favorite
angle, right here.
It shows his desk real clearly.
And there you are.
See? Isn't that you?
Hiding that unregistered
gun in his desk.
The gun that killed Howard
Wright and Terry Lasher.
Why?
So no one would
ever know the person...
who really killed them...
was you.
Very nice, Mr. Matlock.
Well, back at you.
Mr. O'Hare has
asked me to inquire
whether you would represent
him in his forthcoming trial
for obstruction of justice,
fraud and about 12
other felony counts.
Uh, why don't you do it?
I've had about all I
can take of Mr. O'Hare.
Me, too.
- Nice suit.
- Mm, yeah, yeah.
Nice tie.
♪♪
♪♪
Watch the floor, gentlemen.
Keep those people
back, will you, John?
He was a law clerk?
Terry Lasher.
I met him the other
day at the courthouse.
I had no idea that's
who I was talking to.
Makes sense, though...
Two of the suspects are judges;
the other one's an attorney.
Yeah, I guess he stumbled onto
whatever it is they were up to
and didn't know
what to do about it.
Should have just turned them in.
Bad career move.
Nobody likes a whistle
blower but the press.
I wonder what tipped them off.
I think I did.
You did?
I must have shaken
them up so bad today,
they started following me.
They recognized him, figured out
what was going on and shot him.
Well, just found the slug.
It's a .38 caliber.
Lab will know quick enough
whether it came from the same
gun that killed Howard Wright.
Did you check up on Tom O'Hare?
I sent a unit to his house
as soon as I got your call.
He was there; he said
he had come home at 7:00
and been there
ever since... alone.
Oh. I don't suppose he
told you where he was
the night Howard
Wright was murdered?
Working in his office, alone.
So, what do we do now?
I'm damned if I know, Conrad.
I guess we just keep
doing what he said
and look for the money.
Here's another one.
$370,000 was deposited
into the Connor
Corporation account
on 8/28/90.
That makes close to
$3 million, all coming into
the company within
the last three years.
But where's it coming from?
It has to be money
they've gotten illegally.
Maybe they're using the
Connor Corporation to launder it.
Well, we're talking about
judges and attorneys here,
not drug dealers.
I mean, what could they be into
that involves that
kind of money?
- Anybody want more coffee?
- Yeah, I do. Thanks.
Look at this.
Sam Bergstrom.
Who's Sam Bergstrom?
Connor Corporation wrote
him a lot of big checks.
Every time Tom O'Hare
and David Bennett got one,
he got one, too.
Only his were for deposit
only into an account
at the South Security
Bank of Savannah.
How much gas
you got in your car?
Superior Court
is now in session;
the Honorable Judge
Diana Levin presiding.
Ladies and
gentlemen of the jury,
have you reached a verdict?
Yes, Your Honor, we have.
The jury finds for the plaintiff
on all causes of action.
Damages for lost
profits are found
in the amount of $2.2 million,
for general damages in
the amount of $5 million,
and for punitive damages
in the amount of $1.3 million.
Thank you.
It has been a long, hard case.
We appreciate your
performing your civic duties.
You are discharged.
This court will stand
in recess until 2:00.
I... I can't believe it!
I still can't believe
it! We did it!
We won the case.
You deserved to win, Jim.
It's called justice.
You think they'll appeal?
They might, but I doubt it.
$8 million for Maxwell
Toys is not that much money.
May be cheaper for
them just to pay you off.
You know, about that letter...
No, that doll was your idea.
You sent them a letter, and
they stole what was in it, right?
Right, but...
You are entitled
to the money, Jim.
So there's no need to talk about
that letter now or ever again.
- Okay?
- Okay.
You take care.
Hey, Mr. O'Hare.
Congratulations.
Thanks.
Yeah.
What's your usual contingency?
One-third?
Well, boy, let me...
Hell, you just made...
nearly $3 million in there.
Is this what a
special prosecutor
does all day, Mr. Matlock?
Hangs around the
courthouse, harassing people?
Oh, no, no, no.
I never harass people
unless I'm thinking
of prosecuting them.
I told you before, I barely
knew Howard Wright.
Maybe that's why you killed him.
Maybe you weren't sure of
how he would react when the
police started questioning him
about that evidence
that he misplaced
in the Jimmy Giles case.
You're out of your mind.
I know about the money
you've been getting
from the Connor Corporation...
You and Judge Bennett.
And when I find out why
you've been getting it,
I may just come after you
for the murder of Terry Lasher.
All right, that's it.
I've had it with cops
showing up on my doorstep
every time somebody
dies in this town,
and I've had it with you.
If I hear you've repeated
this preposterous story
to anyone, I'll file
a defamation suit
that will leave you
financially crippled for life!
Do you hear me?!
I think everybody in
the parking lot heard you.
Oh, yeah.
Come on! What are you doing?
What's the hurry?
Will you stop it, please?
I'm too old for this.
Will you stop it?
Stop it!
Hey, wait a minute!
Will you stop it? My God!
Hey, sir?
Uh, is his bark
worse than his bite?
Actually, his bite's pretty bad.
Otis, will you stop that now?
Get in the house.
Oh. Oh.
Damn dog.
Do you take him on... a
walk every night at this time?
Well, it's good to keep
a dog on schedule.
Makes things more predictable.
7:53 p.m. every night,
Bethany's lawn, come
rain or come shine.
Hey.
Um, last Wednesday night,
when you passed the
Wrights' house over there,
did you see or hear
anything out of the ordinary?
Last Wednesday night...
The night Howard
Wright was killed.
No.
No, I-I-I'm sorry.
You did see something.
Wait a minute,
uh... Who are you?
My name's Ben
Matlock; I'm a lawyer.
Well, I don't want
to get involved.
But if you saw something,
you have to get involved.
It's your duty.
I just don't want some
killer coming after me next.
That-That-That won't happen.
That won't happen.
I... I promise you.
Okay.
Mr. O'Hare?
Mr. O'Hare, you're under arrest
for the murder of Howard Wright.
What?
We have an eyewitness
who saw you leaving
the scene of the crime.
All right. That's it, Matlock.
You were warned,
and you're gonna pay.
- Just come with us, Mr. O'Hare.
- False arrest
and defamation of character...
That's just for starters.
You can't have enough
malpractice insurance
to cover the charges I'm
gonna bring against you.
- Your career is over, Mr. Matlock!
- You have the right
- to remain silent.
- You'll never make another cent!
Any statement... any
statement you make...
You're gonna die!
- May and will be held against...
- There's a bullet for you!
You hear me?!
Your career is
over, Mr. Matlock!
He'll get over it.
It's gonna take a while to
get used to sitting over here.
Mm-hmm, it is.
Who's Mr. O'Hare
got defending him?
Chester Gaddis.
Member of the
bar in five states,
hasn't lost a
murder one case yet.
There's something I want
you to find out about him.
How much he charges?
- Yeah.
- Hmm.
Moving right along
to the matter of bail.
Does the, uh, prosecution
have any recommendations?
Ah, yes, sir.
Uh, not only has the
defendant been charged
with the heinous crime
of premeditated murder,
but he is considerably wealthy
and has no family to
bind him to the community.
The defense...
uh, prosecution...
Therefore recommends
bail be set at $1 million.
Defense?
Your Honor, uh, my
client has been accused
of a heinous crime, yes,
but proven guilty, no.
And not only has he
been an officer of the court
for 15 years, but
his contributions
to various
philanthropic activities
have made him a pillar
of the very community
the state would now have
you believe he wishes to flee.
I see no risk here whatever.
I recommend bail
not exceed $100,000.
I tend to agree, Mr. Gaddis.
Bail is set at $100,000.
Thank you, Your Honor.
He's good.
He dresses funny.
Hi.
I'm looking for Sam Bergstrom.
What can I do for you?
You're Sam Bergstrom?
The one that has an account
over at the South Security Bank?
Well, life is too short
to be writing "Samantha"
out all the time.
Uh, who are you?
Uh, I'm Russell Yeager, ma'am.
I'm from the IRS.
May I come in?
Invite somebody from the biggest
group of crooks in the country
into my home?
Not on your life.
Well, I need to ask you
a few questions, ma'am.
Go ahead.
We know some rather large
checks from the Connor Corporation
up in Atlanta have been
deposited in your account
over the last couple of years.
Are you an employee of theirs?
No.
Well, well, then why
are they paying you
all that money, ma'am?
Why do you want to know?
Well, there have been
some irregularities
at the Connor Corporation.
We're auditing all
their expenditures.
Uh, y-you're not auditing me?
You? No, no.
Good.
That money belongs to my niece.
Your niece?
Yes. Her accountant suggested
that she keep it in my name
for-for tax purposes.
I don't understand
all the ins and outs,
but I'm sure it's
quite legitimate...
In view of her job and all.
Which is what?
She's a judge.
Judge Diana Levin.
Got your message. What's... up?
I-I'm a bad man, Your Honor.
Uh, I'm the one who
slipped your clerk that note.
We need to talk.
Sit down here.
Yes.
Uh, an associate of
mine spoke to your aunt
down in Savannah today,
and you've been getting payoffs
from the Connor Corporation
just like Judge Bennett
- here and Tom O'Hare.
- Those aren't
payoffs, those are
- consulting fees.
- Consulting fees.
I don't think so.
I think the three of you are
using the Connor Corporation
to hold and distribute money
that you've come by illegally.
You are dead wrong.
I know your scheme has
something to do with Maxwell Toys.
And when the truth comes out
in court, and it will,
why, you'll go down right
along with Mr. O'Hare.
So, unless prison is
something you're just dying for,
if I were you, I'd tell me
what's going on right now.
You called this meeting
to offer us a deal?
One time only.
Oh, and-and to give you this.
- A subpoena.
- Uh-huh.
You are wasting
your time and mine.
Well-Well, it's, uh... uh...
I don't have anything
more to say to you, either.
Okay.
I guess I'll... see
you both in court.
Enjoy.
- Thank you.
- Yes.
Thank you for coming.
To be honest, I'm
not sure why I'm here.
Please.
Some wine?
No, thank you.
Michelle.
Michelle, I, uh...
I swear to you, I didn't
have anything to do
with Howard Wright's murder.
I didn't do it, and I
don't know who did.
You've got to tell Ben
Matlock to back off
before he ruins me.
That's why you asked
me to come here?
I meant something
to you once, Michelle.
I don't deserve
this, and you know it.
Just tell him the truth...
Tell him it wasn't me.
I can't believe you'd
try to use me like this.
What choice do I have?
My back's against the wall.
I can't do anything else.
You can tell us the truth.
I am, I swear.
The money you get from
the Connor Corporation...
Where does it come from?
I'm sorry.
If you want us to help you,
you're going to have
to tell us the truth.
You, uh...
You've turned into one
tough lady, Michelle.
I'm not sure it becomes you.
David, you're in a
great deal of trouble.
I'd like to help you.
It's up to you.
Well, what did you
see when you walked your dog
past Howard Wright's house
that night, Mr. Spaulding?
I saw a man rushing
out of the garage,
jump into his car and
go tearing out of there.
Uh-huh.
And is the man you saw that
night in this courtroom today?
Oh, yeah.
He's sitting right over there.
Let the record show that
the witness has pointed
to the defendant, Tom O'Hare.
Do you remember what
time it was you saw him?
- Around 8:00.
- You sure?
Positive.
It's always around that time
that Otis and I pass
the Wrights' house.
It's good to keep a dog
on schedule, you know.
Yeah, you told me
that, yeah, yeah.
So you're sure the man you
saw leaving the scene of the crime
at, uh, about 8:00... which
the-the coroner has established
to be the approximate time
of the murder... y-you're sure
that man was the
defendant, Tom O'Hare?
Positive.
Thank you.
Cross-examine?
Mr. Spaulding...
Where were you and Otis
the night you saw this person
leaving the garage?
At the end of the driveway.
And could you
see his face clearly
after he entered the car?
No.
So the only time you saw him
was after he exited the garage
and just before he entered
the car, is that correct?
- Right.
- Oh.
And approximately
what distance was it
from the garage to the car?
Oh, maybe... ten feet.
And approximately
how long did it take him
to cover that distance?
Six, seven seconds.
Six seconds?
To cover ten feet?
I thought you said
he was in a hurry.
Well, uh... Maybe
three... four... seconds.
Three seconds, tops. I timed it.
I also measured the distance
from the end of the driveway
to the garage.
It's 38 yards.
Does that sound
about right to you?
I guess so.
Huh.
Can you guess how many
lights illuminated the garage door?
Two, three.
One.
How's your eyesight,
Mr. Spaulding?
Do you wear glasses?
Only for reading.
So your vision
isn't exactly perfect?
No, it's not perfect,
but I don't find...
Did you happen to
catch the license plate
on the car that
night, Mr. Spaulding?
No.
Did you catch the
make of the car?
No.
How about the color?
Color... Uh...
beige, yellow,
something like that.
How about the man's
clothes? What color were they?
Uh, uh, d-dark.
Dark?
Mr. Spaulding, I don't doubt
you saw someone that night,
but whoever it was, you
saw him from a distance
of 38 yards,
by the light of a
single 40-watt bulb,
for a grand total of
maybe three seconds.
You can't remember
what his car looked like.
You can't remember
what his clothes were like.
Mr. Spaulding...
you can't say for sure that
was my client, can you?
No, I guess I can't.
Thank you.
I hate him.
I don't.
He reminds me of you.
Michelle, he's sneaky,
conniving, deceitful.
That's the cruelest thing
you've ever said to me.
Oh, Ben, I just meant
he's good, that's all.
I mean, you got
to give him that.
Like hell, I do.
He's not good.
Okay.
He's probably the best.
Beating the devil out of us.
I'm ready to cut a deal.
You've known the
defendant for how long?
About ten years.
Friends?
Not close friends.
More like, uh...
business associates.
What kind of business,
Judge Bennett?
A couple of years ago,
shortly after I was
appointed presiding judge,
Tom O'Hare came to
me with a proposition.
He said if I'd assign myself
to a multimillion-dollar
lawsuit that he'd just filed and
use all my powers
as presiding judge
to see to it that the jury
ruled in his client's favor...
he would split his one-third
of the judgment with me.
So that's what we did.
Did it work?
So well that we did it
again... Many times.
D-D-Do you mean to tell me
that a judge can
actually fix a trial?
Well, it's a, uh, obviously,
very subtle thing, but... yes.
Weren't you afraid that
somebody would, you know,
catch on to your scheme?
Very.
That's why we eventually
got a second judge involved.
Judge Diana Levin.
Yes.
Instead of assigning
all these cases to myself,
I was able to
assign some to her.
That way, we could
avert suspicion.
Go ahead.
She had a friend
named Glenn Connor
who owned a holding company,
the Connor Corporation.
Mm-hmm.
Uh...
I'm showing you a
ledger which was seized
by a search warrant from
the Connor Corporation offices,
and which, by
stipulation with counsel,
will be marked
"People's Exhibit 37"
and entered into evidence.
Now, how was the
money laundered?
After winning a judgment,
Tom would instruct his client
to pay his usual one-third
contingency fee in the form of
a cashier's check made
payable to a bank in the Bahamas.
Like these three checks here
for $125,000 to each of you?
Yes.
And, uh, that was, uh,
ostensibly for, uh...
uh, consulting work?
That's correct.
But you never did any
consulting work for them, did you?
No.
Now, this-this check here...
Right here for $75,000,
made out to Howard Wright...
What was that for?
That was his payment for
losing a vital piece of evidence
in a case he was prosecuting
against Jimmy Giles,
the man accused of
breaking into Maxwell Toys.
And who directed the Connor
Corporation to make the payment?
Tom O'Hare.
He was protecting Giles,
whom he'd hired to
plant evidence for him.
Oh, how do you know?
He told me.
Did he tell you anything else?
Yes, he did.
He told me that
he was afraid that
Howard would break
down and confess
if he was confronted
by the police.
Oh.
Oh, and if that had happened,
what would've
happened to Mr. O'Hare?
He would've been disbarred
and probably gone to prison.
Uh-huh.
But that never happened, did it?
Instead, Howard
Wright was murdered.
Nothing further.
Does defense wish to cross?
I've been sitting here
quietly, Judge Bennett,
because I've been waiting.
For proof.
And the problem is...
that you don't have any.
I-I mean, you can't prove
that my client was involved
in this ingenious plan
of yours, can you?
Of course I can.
Just look at that ledger.
Oh.
Well, this doesn't
prove that my client,
uh, never did any
consulting work
for the Connor
Corporation, does it?
Well, I know I didn't.
I don't give a damn
if you took money
under false pretenses,
Judge Bennett.
The question is: Can you prove
that my client did?
Well, uh... Can you prove
that he paid Howard Wright
to deliberately lose
a piece of evidence?
No, but he... Oh,
uh, can you prove
that he told you
that he was afraid
Howard Wright was
gonna get him disbarred?
No, but... No, but!
You cannot... prove
a single word of your
testimony against my client.
You certainly haven't
offered any evidence
that would involve him
in Howard Wright's death.
Nor can you offer such
evidence, can you...
Judge Bennett?
It's what happened!
Just because I can't prove
it doesn't mean it isn't true!
We're just supposed
to take your word for it?
Yes.
I think not.
No further questions.
Witness may step down.
Ben? Ben?
Hmm?
Bob Brooks just got
this from the police lab.
Oh.
This is inexcusable!
Mr. Matlock has had
the police department
at his full disposal
since day one.
For them to produce
evidence on his behalf
this late in the
day... it's outrageous!
Mr. Gaddis is absolutely
correct, Your Honor.
The police lab took way too long
to complete this analysis.
I wish we could've gotten
it to him much earlier.
Well, I just resent being
thrown a curve this...
halfway through a trial.
Yeah.
You had full
disclosure, Mr. Gaddis.
And you knew they
were running tests.
A half-day recess
should give you ample time
to work the results
into your defense.
Now, let's get back in there.
We'll put your witness
on the stand, Mr. Matlock,
and then recess till tomorrow.
I don't like this one bit.
I don't blame you.
Uh... Lieutenant Brooks...
When the police arrived
at Howard Wright's house
the night of the murder,
they found a fresh
puddle of transmission fluid
outside his garage.
Is that correct?
Yes, we did.
Where'd it come from?
A comparative analysis performed
after the defendant was arrested
shows it came from his car.
Meaning the defendant's car
was parked outside
his garage that night?
Yes.
Doesn't necessarily
mean the defendant
was in the garage,
though, does it?
No, but we also found a varnish
on the floor of Howard
Wright's workshop that night.
Uh, apparently, it had
spilled during the shooting.
Forensics has isolated traces
of that exact same
varnish on the fibers
of the floor mat on the driver's
side of the defendant's car,
as well as on the
bottoms of his shoes.
In other words, the defendant
was in Howard Wright's garage
the night of the
murder, wasn't he?
Objection.
Calls for a conclusion.
Withdraw the question.
Uh... thank you,
Lieutenant Brooks.
Uh, nothing further.
Mr. Gaddis?
No questions.
Witness may step down.
This court is in recess
until 9:00 a.m. tomorrow.
You lied to me, Tom.
Chester, I didn't kill him.
You were there!
And the jury knows
you were there.
I was there.
But I swear, I didn't kill him!
The whole thrust of my case
was proving that
you weren't there.
I discredited the eyewitnesses,
I discredited the police.
And now I look like a fool.
And you, Tom... you
look like you're guilty.
What do we do now?
I'm putting you on the stand.
Is that a good idea?
It's the only idea.
I don't want to put
any pressure on you,
but this better be the greatest
performance of your life.
Because if it's not,
you'll spend the rest
of your life in prison.
Everything David
Bennett said is true.
I conspired with him
and Judge Levin to fix
the outcome of certain cases.
And I paid Howard Wright to
lose a case against someone
who was instrumental
in my winning
a multimillion-dollar lawsuit.
But I did not kill him.
What were you doing in
his workshop that night?
Well, he was afraid the
police were onto him,
so he asked me for
$100,000 to leave town.
So I got the money, and I, uh,
I stopped by at 8:00 to
deliver it like we'd arranged.
Only, when I got
there, he was dead.
Somebody else had shot him?
I swear, under oath,
that I did not kill
Howard Wright.
Thank you.
Mr. Matlock?
So... so you paid Howard Wright
to lose the evidence
in a case against
Jimmy Giles, is that right?
I already said that, yes.
Well, you had a... you had a
very good reason to kill him.
I mean, if he had
gone to the police,
why... you would've
been ruined, wouldn't you?
Yes.
So you were paying him off.
Uh, what would...
what would keep him from asking
for another hundred thousand?
Nothing.
So you-you couldn't be sure.
I mean, you couldn't be
sure he wouldn't ask for more,
you couldn't be sure he
wouldn't go to the police,
so you did the only thing
you could be sure of...
You went to his house
that night, didn't you?
- I went to bring him the mon...
- Yes or no?
Yes, I went to his house.
- And you killed him.
- No.
He was dead when
I got there, I swear.
So, just-just like
your counselor
said to my witness
yesterday, we're just
- supposed to take your word for it.
- Yes.
I left the money there.
You what?
I was so frightened
when I saw him
that I ran away
without the money.
You left $100,000?
The first thing I saw when I
went in was him on the floor.
I thought he'd slipped in
the varnish and hit his head.
I put my briefcase down
and went over to him.
But then I saw the blood.
All of a sudden, the, uh,
the alarm on his watch went off.
I ran out of there
as fast as I could.
I didn't even remember the
money till the next morning.
There was no briefcase found,
let alone $100,000.
Well, that may be.
But I left it there.
Mr. Matlock?
Are you finished?
Y-Your Honor, um...
I'd like to ask for a recess
till tomorrow morning.
We just had a
recess, Mr. Matlock.
Do you have any idea how
backlogged this court is?
It-It's personal, Your Honor.
I don't... I don't feel so good.
It must be something
I ate for breakfast.
This court is in recess
until 9:30 a.m. tomorrow.
You all right?
I'm fine.
I just had to make sure
he gave me the recess.
But you had that guy...
Why did you stop?
'Cause he's telling the truth.
The truth?
Oh, Ben, that story
about the money is crazy.
That's why he's got
to be telling the truth.
I don't remember
seeing a briefcase.
What did you do
after you walked in
and found your husband?
I ran into the
house, called 911,
and I stayed in the house
until the police came.
And you don't remember
seeing or picking up a briefcase?
All I remember is
seeing my husband...
lying there, dead.
I'm sorry.
I got it.
I got the money right here.
Oh.
Hello?
Diana, dear, it-it's
your Aunt Sam.
I just got a call from a
man who said he was
a special prosecutor
or something
out-out there in Atlanta.
Ben Matlock?
Yes, Ben Matlock.
Anyway, he asked
me about the $100,000
you just, uh, wired to
your account down here.
I mean, you know, our account.
What'd he want to know?
Where the money came from.
What'd you tell him?
That I didn't know.
That's all I could tell him.
Uh, dear, is-is-is
everything all right with you?
Everything's fine, Aunt Sam.
It's nothing.
But thank you for calling.
And if he calls you again,
you let me know, okay?
All right, dear.
Good-bye, dear.
Bye.
I'm supposed to hand-deliver
some documents to Frank Scanzie.
Where's his office?
Third door on the right.
♪♪
Be seated.
Well...
did breakfast agree with
you this morning, Mr. Matlock?
Oh, very well, Your
Honor, very well.
Good.
Mr. Gaddis, next witness.
Uh, Your Honor,
the state would like
to reopen its case
in order to present
an additional witness.
I've already spoken
to Mr. Gaddis.
Mr. Gaddis?
I have no objections,
Your Honor.
Very well. Call your witness.
The state calls
Judge Diana Levin.
Approximately how much money
did this conspiracy
between you and Tom O'Hare
and Judge Bennett
net you over the years?
What conspiracy is that?
The same conspiracy
that Tom O'Hare
and Judge Bennett
admitted to in this courtroom.
I don't know anything about it.
Mm-hmm, okay.
You have a...
an aunt named, uh,
Samantha Bergstrom
down in Savannah, don't you?
Yes, I do.
And, uh...
there are deposits that you
make into her bank account
and she does
not, is that correct?
My aunt is elderly.
I worry about her,
so I send money
that I earn as a
consultant to her bank
in case of emergency.
Come on, now, come on.
Sam Bergstrom.
$125,000.
Sam Bergstrom.
$110,000.
Sam Bergstrom.
$95,000.
That's exactly the
same amount of money
that Tom O'Hare
and David Bennett got,
and they admitted
in this courtroom
that they were payoffs.
Not consultant fees, payoffs.
I can only speak for
myself, Mr. Matlock.
That money was for
services I rendered
as a legal consultant.
I subpoenaed the records of...
of your aunt's bank account,
and all the deposits
that were made
match exactly the checks
the Connor Corporation
made out to her.
All except this...
this last one.
This last one here.
$100,000.
Deposited the day after
Howard Wright was murdered.
Where'd that come from?
That was money I was
keeping in a safe-deposit box.
Are you sure it wasn't
the money Tom O'Hare left
in Howard Wright's workshop?
I'm positive.
Mm-hmm. What if Howard Wright
had told the police
a-about this conspiracy
that Tom O'Hare roped him into?
That would've been the end
of your career, too, wouldn't it?
Again, I don't know
anything about a conspiracy.
Uh-huh.
Uh-huh.
Did, uh...
did Tom O'Hare
tell you he was going
over to Howard Wright's
house at 8:00 that night?
No.
He told me he did.
Must have lied.
You sure you didn't
get there ahead of him
and shoot Howard
Wright to death?
No!
And then when Tom O'Hare
arrived ahead of schedule,
you hid so he wouldn't see you,
- didn't you?
- No.
And then, after he
went tearing out of there,
you thought, "Well, why waste
all this money on a dead man?"
So you took it
and deposited it in your
aunt's account, didn't you?
No.
Bet you wish you
hadn't done that.
That's what put us onto you.
Mistake.
She should've kept that cash
and bought some new shoes
or a robe or something.
May I see your watch?
Oh... it's got one of those
alarms that goes off every hour.
Another mistake.
You should've left this at home.
Howard Wright didn't have
a watch like this;
neither did Tom O'Hare.
It was your watch that
went off that night, wasn't it?
Thousands of people
have a watch like this.
That doesn't prove a thing.
But now... the murder weapon.
Mm!
There would be proof,
there would be proof.
The gun that killed
Howard Wright
and a law clerk
named Terry Lasher...
The riflings on...
both bullets in both
murders match exactly.
Unfortunately...
the gun has never been found.
That is... until yesterday.
The police found it
in a desk drawer in
the defendant's office.
Then why on earth am I up here?
Because you put it there.
I called...
your aunt down in
Savannah about that...
$100,000.
She called you, didn't she?
And then...
you did just what
I figured you'd do
when you figured I
was getting too close.
You killed two
birds with one stone.
You got rid of the
murder weapon,
and you did it in such a
way as to strengthen the case
against the
defendant, didn't you?
No.
You ever see yourself
on TV, Judge Levin?
We had TV cameras hidden
all over Mr. O'Hare's office.
But this is my favorite
angle, right here.
It shows his desk real clearly.
And there you are.
See? Isn't that you?
Hiding that unregistered
gun in his desk.
The gun that killed Howard
Wright and Terry Lasher.
Why?
So no one would
ever know the person...
who really killed them...
was you.
Very nice, Mr. Matlock.
Well, back at you.
Mr. O'Hare has
asked me to inquire
whether you would represent
him in his forthcoming trial
for obstruction of justice,
fraud and about 12
other felony counts.
Uh, why don't you do it?
I've had about all I
can take of Mr. O'Hare.
Me, too.
- Nice suit.
- Mm, yeah, yeah.
Nice tie.