Matlock (1986–1995): Season 6, Episode 2 - The Witness Killings: Part 2 - full transcript
After the death of the second of three boys who witnessed a murder 15 years ago, the trial of Ben's client requires the exposure of the secrets of some of his hometown's most prominent residents.
[theme music]
Hook the carabiner
here just like that.
MAN 1: All right, guys.
Easy.
All right.
Here?
You got him?
Yeah.
How you doing, son?
First I lose Noel, now Gary.
How do you think I'm doing?
Any idea how it happened?
I found this in the cab.
My guess is he got to
feeling bad about Noel,
had a couple too many,
went through the rail.
You going to check
his blood alcohol level?
Of course, I'm going to
check his blood alcohol level.
It was just a question.
You don't think I
know what I'm doing.
I'm sick and tired of
everybody in this town
taking everything I say wrong.
And we're sick and tired
of you butting your nose
in where it doesn't belong.
You go back to town before
I give you a ticket.
All right, Harley.
We're going to settle
this between us.
I got paperwork to do.
It can wait.
You think just because
we're not in Atlanta nobody
knows what they're doing.
- Bull, Harley.
Bull.
We survived all
these years without you
in this town, Ben Matlock.
Now I got you telling me how
to check Gary's alcohol level.
All I want is for
an innocent man Russ
not to have to go to prison.
What makes you think I want
to convict an innocent man?
Harley!
Just because I don't have some
big damn Harvard Law degree.
You know what it is?
You know what it is?
Your nose is out of joint
because you're jealous.
- Jealous?
- Yeah.
- Yeah.
- Yeah.
- Yeah.
- Yeah.
Yeah.
MAX CARTER: Ben, Sheriff,
both of you come upstairs.
Hurry.
You got to hear this.
Gary called while
we were at the park.
Listen to the message he left.
GARY ANDLER
[VOICEMAIL]: Max, Gary.
It's 4:10.
I'm on my way to the
park for the party.
But look, if I don't see you
there, you've got to call me.
Remember that tattoo we saw
on that dead guy 15 years ago?
Well, Noel left me a note
on the day he was killed
saying he'd seen a
tattoo just like it
on Lucas Anderson's left arm.
And he was right.
I saw it, too.
And when I asked
Lucas about it--
just call me.
Something weird is going on.
4:10.
That's just a half
hour before his truck
was spotted off the road.
He doesn't sound drunk.
What's all this about a tattoo?
About 15 years ago
when we were kids,
me, Noel, and Gary were
walking through the woods
when all of a sudden,
we heard a shot.
Then this man we'd
never seen before
came running out of
the woods bleeding
from a hole in his back.
He fell down and died
right in front of us.
We ran off to get the sheriff.
By the time we got
back, the body was gone.
There never was a body.
Those three used to pull
pranks on me all the time.
MAX CARTER: It wasn't a prank.
It happened.
And this proves it.
The man had a tattoo on the
upper part of his left arm.
And I guess Lucas Anderson
at the Anderson Tavern
has one, too.
Lots of guys have tattoos.
Look at what's happened.
Noel leaves Gary a message about
the tattoo and he gets killed.
Now Gary leaves me a message
about it and he gets killed.
Oh, come on.
Noel got killed
because of a girl.
And Gary got killed because
he was drinking and driving.
Millions of guys
have tattoos, Max.
Guys have "Mom"
tattooed on their arms.
Girls have butterflies tattooed
on their you know whats.
Neither case has anything
to do with an alleged tattoo
that three kids allegedly
saw on an alleged
dead man 15 damn years ago.
You could at least ask
Lucas about the tattoo.
That wouldn't hurt anything.
Lucas Anderson is a perfectly
respectable taxpaying,
law abiding member
of the community.
And having a tattoo
is not a crime.
Now if you'll excuse me, I
have an accident to write up.
Do you think you
could draw me a picture
of that tattoo from memory?
Sure.
I'll send it to Atlanta to
see what we can come up with.
There is a fax machine somewhere
in Mount Harlan, isn't there?
We're not that far behind
the times, Uncle Benjamin.
You got one in your office?
I got one in my car.
Do you?
Oh.
I better get back to the party.
I'll see you there.
Damn it, Bill.
You put that whiskey in your
pocket and you leave it there.
You just wait till
I get you home.
[MUSIC - "LITTLE BROWN CHURCH IN
THE VALE"]
[SINGING] Come,
won't you come,
come to the church in the vale.
No place is so dear
to my childhood
as the little brown
church in the vale.
I already gave.
Oh, Clara.
Oh.
Excuse me just a minute.
I'll see you later.
You want some lemonade?
I'd love some.
You probably ought to buy.
It'd be cheaper.
Oh, go.
We could run over
there tomorrow, right?
OK.
Bye bye.
- Hi.
Hi.
I'm Julie March,
Ben Matlock's friend.
Ah.
Karen Sylvester.
Oh, you're the banker's wife.
Yes.
Don't you work for
your husband, too?
Yes, I do.
It's kind of like
working for him at home.
Takes what I do for granted
and I never get a raise.
I think I saw you
walking the other morning
with a group of women.
I'd love to join you
sometime if you don't mind.
Uh, fine.
We meet over by the church.
6:30 AM start.
OK.
6:30.
Well, maybe we'll
see you tomorrow.
Oh, I'll be there.
Thank you.
KAREN SYLVESTER: Bye bye.
Bye.
Ben, what's wrong?
I'm sorry about the lemonade.
Max just gave me this.
What's that?
It's a tattoo.
What's JAS stand for?
I don't know.
They're all over at
Doc's picnic table.
Oh?
Oh yeah.
I see them.
Well, hello, guys, Doc, Mr.
Sylvester, Lucas, Billy.
I guess you heard
about the boy that
was killed on his way over here
this afternoon, Gary Andler.
Yeah.
Terrible thing.
Just terrible.
BEN MATLOCK: So
you all knew him?
Well, of course, we did.
You ever seen anything
like this before?
It's a tattoo.
You got a tattoo like this on
your arm, don't you, Lucas?
Yeah.
What about it?
I was just wondering
if you two gentlemen
have a tattoo like
this on your arm.
Well, I certainly don't.
Me neither.
Would you mind rolling
up your sleeve just
a little bit so we can
take a little look?
I beg your pardon.
Just take a second.
- Forget it.
- Hey.
Come on.
He's just asking you
to roll up your sleeve.
What's the big deal?
I resent being
treated like a liar.
Come on, Doc.
We don't have to take this.
Two of my friends are
dead and I want to know why.
Now roll up your damn sleeves.
Hey.
Wait a minute.
Wait a minute.
Hold it.
Hold it.
[SINGING] Come to the
church in the wildwood.
Hey.
Stop it.
Stop it.
Stop it.
Now stop it.
Ben.
Ben.
Ben, goodness gracious.
Does it hurt?
Yeah.
Here?
Oh.
All over.
Why would a man your age
want to get into a fight?
I was trying to
stop it, Elsie.
I guess I didn't do it right.
[rock music]
Martin Jensen?
Yeah.
What do you need?
I understand
this is your work.
You understand wrong.
Two different tattoo
artists mentioned your name
when I showed this to them.
- Hey.
What can I tell you?
They were mistaken.
Well, you would have done
it at least 15 years ago.
Take another look.
Maybe it'll come back to you.
Nope.
Well, thanks anyway.
MARTIN JENSEN: Yeah.
Sorry I couldn't help.
No problem.
What are you working
on, the Rose?
MARTIN JENSEN: Oh, the dragon.
Dragon?
Wonderful dragon.
RICHARDSON: Sheriff Wilkes,
on August 17, the day
before his murder, did
you receive a telephone
call from Noel Ferguson?
Objection.
Calls for hearsay.
It's not hearsay.
You just asked him
if he had a call.
- Yeah, but--
- You can answer.
Yep.
He called me.
Mm-hmm.
Sheriff, what did he say?
- I knew it.
Hearsay.
Objection.
Hearsay.
He sound excited, Harley?
He did.
Excited utterance.
Objection overruled.
What did he say?
HARLEY WILKES: He said his
tires had been slashed.
And he thought Russ
Gifford done it.
Your Honor--
SAM CAROTHERS: Overruled.
Continue.
I'm showing you
People's exhibit number 5
and ask for you to identify it.
That's the knife I discovered
in the decedent's chest
when I went to the murder scene.
And whose knife is it?
Do you know?
Yes, sir.
The defendant, Russ Gifford's.
RICHARDSON: Well,
how do you know that?
Three reasons.
First, Bernie Andler
remembers selling it
to him three years ago.
Objection.
No foundation.
How do you know
Bernie Adler remembers
selling it to him, Harley?
He told me.
That's good enough for me.
Second, everybody in
town's seen that knife
in Russ's possession.
Objection.
Improper.
SAM CAROTHERS: Have you
ever seen that knife
in Russ's possession, Harley?
HARLEY WILKES: Lots of times.
Overruled.
Go ahead.
Give me a second, Your Honor.
Just because you know
everybody in town
doesn't make this
evidence not hearsay.
Sit down.
But Your Honor--
I said sit down.
Mr. Richardson.
Yes, sir.
So you've seen Russ
Gifford with this knife.
What makes you think
he had to be the one
to kill Noel Ferguson with it?
HARLEY WILKES: We sent the
knife to the lab in Atlanta
for analysis.
The only fingerprints
on it were Russ's.
Even a hick could
figure that out.
[laughter]
[dramatic music]
Sheriff Wilkes,
cousin Harley, do
you know anybody
who actually saw
my client stab Noel Ferguson?
No.
Do you know anybody who saw
him at or near the motor court
that afternoon?
Not that I could find.
Did you dust the
room where the body
was found for fingerprints?
I did, personally
and thoroughly.
I know it was
thorough, cousin.
Did you find my
client's fingerprints
anywhere in that room?
No.
BEN MATLOCK: Not even on
the door or the doorknob?
No.
Don't you find it a little
odd that my client would leave
his fingerprints all
over the murder weapon
and yet not leave them
anywhere else in the room?
He just didn't
touch anything else.
That's all.
How about fibers?
Did you find any fibers from
the rug at my client's house
at scene of the crime?
No.
BEN MATLOCK: He has
a-- he has a big dog.
Did you find any dog hairs
at scene of the crime?
No.
No one saw my client
anywhere near that motor court
that afternoon.
The only thing you have
tying my client to the murder
is the knife which anyone could
have stolen from his house
and, wearing a pair of gloves,
used it to commit the murder.
Right, Sheriff?
Come on, Ben.
Russ just got done
picking a fight with him.
BEN MATLOCK: No hairs,
no fibers, no witnesses.
The only thing you have
tying my client to the scene
of the crime is the knife.
Isn't that right, Sheriff?
That's right, Mr. Matlock.
BEN MATLOCK: Thank you.
No further questions.
Found it.
Guess you forgot it.
Then again, it was 15 years ago.
How'd you get in here?
Door was open.
No, it wasn't.
CONRAD MCMASTERS: It is now.
After I found this, I
made a couple of calls.
Can you imagine my surprise
when I found out that you
were in prison 15 years ago?
I just want to know
about the people
you did the tattoo on, Marty.
That's all.
[dial beeps]
Yeah.
I got an emergency here.
Somebody just broke
into my store.
Hang on.
I'll ask.
They want to know
if you're armed.
Hey, look, sorry, guys.
It was just my friend Ralph
playing a little trick on me.
Thanks anyway though, OK?
[phone ringing]
Hamilton.
MARTIN JENSEN [ON PHONE]:
This is Marty Jensen.
I told you not
to call me here.
MARTIN JENSEN [ON PHONE]:
Listen, somebody was just here.
They had a picture of the
tattoo I did on you guys.
JAMES HAMILTON [ON
PHONE]: Who was it?
He didn't introduce
himself but he
asked questions like a cop.
JAMES HAMILTON [ON PHONE]:
What kind of questions?
He wanted to know
who you guys were.
Did you tell him?
MARTIN JENSEN [ON PHONE]:
You think I'm nuts?
Look, the bad news is
I think he'll be back.
You there?
When was the last time
you had a vacation, Marty?
Vacations cost money, pal.
Meet me at 7:00 at the
warehouse on Ashford.
I'll have your traveling money.
OK?
I'll be there.
Gary was your nephew, Bernie.
I'm just trying to
find out if his death
was really accidental.
Of course it was an accident.
How do you know?
Cause the sheriff said it was.
How do you know
the sheriff's right?
Let me tell you
something, Mr. Matlock.
The sheriff happens to be
a damn good friend of mine.
In fact, he's a damn good friend
to everybody in this town.
And if you think we like the
way you got after him up there
today, you can guess again.
I didn't go after him.
I was going after the truth.
Well, you tried to make him
look like a fool, your own kin.
If you thought you had any
friends left in this town,
you can take my word for it.
You just lost them.
[ominous music]
[tires squealing]
[screaming]
You tried to kill me.
You rat bastard.
You tried to kill me.
Could I just interrupt
just for one second?
Just for one second.
Feel like talking now?
You were going to send
me on a permanent vacation.
All right.
A permanent one.
I feel like talking.
Yeah.
I feel like talking my head off.
It was great.
Thank you for having me.
Bye.
Bye.
Hi.
Hi.
So how was your walk?
It was more like a
stroll, a nice long stroll.
How are you
enjoying my vacation?
With the exception of
a couple of killings,
I'm enjoying it fine.
Well, I'm glad one of us is.
Oh, come on.
I'll buy you a cup of
coffee and a donut.
Ooh.
That was Karen Sylvester.
She's real nice.
They all are actually.
Well, there again,
at least one of us
has friends in this town.
People are jealous.
That's all.
They don't hate you.
Come on.
I'm going to stick
with a brownie,
a great big brownie
with fudge icing
that thick and
then a jelly donut.
OK.
A big jelly donut
with powdered sugar.
Let's just go have toast
and coffee at Aunt Elsie's.
If the world ever
runs out of grease,
it's because it's
all in your donuts.
If I lose, I lose.
And if I win, I lose.
JULIE MARCH: Ben, you're
doing your best here
under difficult circumstances.
You should be proud of yourself.
Oh, they hate me.
They don't.
They hate me and
I don't give a damn.
Conrad, what are you doing here?
About a half hour ago.
I decided to drive
up this afternoon.
If I had known your aunt
was this great of a cook,
I'd have come last night.
Thank you.
BEN MATLOCK: Have
you got something?
Not something, Ben.
Everything.
BEN MATLOCK: So Mr. Anderson,
it's good to have you here
today.
Let me ask you this.
Does the name Martin Jensen
mean anything to you?
That tattoo you
have on your arm,
he was the tattoo artist
who put it there, wasn't he?
Remember?
Maybe you don't want to remember
because you were in prison
at the time, weren't you?
Yes, I was.
What'd you do?
Robbed a bank.
A long time ago, I
got in over my head
with some pretty bad dudes.
I made a stupid mistake,
wound up paying for it
with four years of my life.
Is Lucas Anderson
your real name?
LUCAS ANDERSON: No.
I changed it when I
got out of prison.
My name used to be Guy Spellman.
BEN MATLOCK: Uh huh.
These other two bad dudes,
what were their names?
David Josephs
and Bobby Atwater.
BEN MATLOCK: Would you
mind taking off your coat
and rolling up your
sleeves so the court
could see your tattoo?
There you go.
Yep.
Yep.
Yep.
JAS.
That stands for Josephs,
Atwater, and Spellman,
doesn't it?
Yeah.
Well, what happened to the
other two, the bad dudes?
I don't know.
Well, the money that
you took from the bank,
what happened to it?
I don't know that either.
Well, how about this?
The three of you hid it.
And then you had the
misfortune of being arrested,
convicted, and sent to prison.
And so you had to just wait
patiently until you were
released and you recovered it.
No.
The other two might have
done that but when I got
out of prison, I went straight.
Oh, come on.
That's where you got the
cash to buy the tavern.
LUCAS ANDERSON: I told you
I inherited that money.
That was your cut of the take.
You used it to start over here
just like David Josephs who
changed his name
to James Hamilton
used his cut to go into
real estate in Atlanta.
No.
But Bobby Atwater was a
different story, wasn't he?
He squandered his.
15 years ago, he showed
up here and threatened
to expose your past and
ruin your new life here
in Mount Harlan unless
you paid him off,
so you lured him
out in the woods
and you shot him to
death, didn't you?
[arguing]
BEN MATLOCK: The body that
Max Carter, Noel Ferguson,
and Gary Andler in
the woods that day
was Bobby Atwater's, wasn't it?
You knew.
You knew Noel had
seen your tattoo.
And there was a good chance if
he continued with his research,
he'd uncover your
involvement in the bank
robbery and Bobby
Atwater's death
and so you killed
him, too, didn't you?
RICHARDSON: Oh, come on.
Objection.
Mr. Matlock.
Everyone calm down or I'll
have this courtroom cleared.
From here on out, you will ask
questions, relevant questions
about this case.
Do you hear me, Mr. Matlock?
No more speculation.
No more suppositions.
Questions.
And if you don't
understand the difference,
you'll have plenty
of time to learn
when I jail you for contempt.
Understood?
Yes, sir.
SAM CAROTHERS: Now
get on with it.
Where were you about 5:00 the
day Noel Ferguson was murdered?
Fishing.
Rainbow Creek?
That's a question.
Yeah.
According to
Eunice, the waitress
over there at your tavern,
you were gone from about 3:45
to around 6:00.
That sound about right?
Yeah.
Yeah.
Did you go by way of
Old Wedgwood Road?
Of course.
Only way you can
get to Rainbow Creek
is Old Wedgwood Road?
Well, there's a back way but--
Go on.
Well, it's kind of roundabout.
Takes a couple of extra
hours to get there.
The thing is they
were asphalting
Wedgwood Road that day.
Blocked off a whole half
mile from 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM.
Wouldn't let anybody through.
So where did you
really go that day?
I forgot.
I did go the other way.
BEN MATLOCK: You couldn't have.
You wouldn't have had time.
You went over to Russ
Gifford's house, didn't you?
No.
You stole his knife and went
over to Mount Harlan Motel,
didn't you?
And there you stabbed
Noel Ferguson to death
to keep your past hidden.
LUCAS ANDERSON: No, I didn't.
BEN MATLOCK: You
lied about the creek,
the road, fishing, because
you are the real killer,
aren't you?
No.
I lied-- I lied because I was
at Jack Sylvester's house.
I was with his wife Karen.
BEN MATLOCK: Mrs. Sylvester.
Did she say anything?
I couldn't catch her.
Talk about something
coming out of left field.
Ben, want me to
help you wipe it off,
you know, that egg on your face?
Doesn't feel good, does it?
Hi.
Hi.
I thought you
might want to talk.
Well, to tell you the
truth, I'd really rather not.
How did--
We're going to work it out.
I'm glad to hear that.
Ah.
Here, let me help you.
Oh, a bad back?
Yes.
Do you wear a brace?
Yes.
I've had to wear the damn
thing for two months.
I have a protruding disk.
I can stand up, or
lie flat, or walk,
but I can't bend over or sit
for longer than 2 minutes.
My back went out once.
Oh, I thought I'd die.
The pain was always
there like a toothache.
Yes.
Yes.
Well, I, uh-- oh here.
Thank you.
I just wanted to drop
by to see how you were.
I'm really-- I'm really sorry.
Call me if you want to talk.
Thank you.
Um, I will.
[frenetic music]
Ben!
Ben!
What?
I've got it.
I've got it.
BEN MATLOCK: Yesterday,
Lucas Anderson
told the court that he
was with you at the time
Noel Ferguson was murdered.
Is that so?
Yes, it is.
And while he was with
you, the two of you
were physically intimate?
Yes.
How long has
this been going on?
For about two months.
BEN MATLOCK: I hear you
have a back problem.
Yes, I do.
Are you getting treatment?
I drive up to Macon
for physical therapy.
Uh huh.
Do you-- do you ever talk
with your physical therapist
during these sessions?
BEN MATLOCK: Yes.
It's a lady, isn't it?
Yes.
Did you tell
her just last week
that the most annoying
aspect of your back problem
is that you have been unable to
engage in any sexual activity
for almost three months?
Careful how you
answer, Ms. Sylvester,
because Anne Weston,
your physical therapist,
is right there on the back row.
And she's all prepared
to take the stand.
So I'll ask you again.
Was Lucas Anderson with you
at the time of the murder?
No.
BEN MATLOCK: Do you
know where he was?
KAREN SYLVESTER: No.
BEN MATLOCK: Why'd you lie?
Because I know Lucas.
And he's no murderer.
I just wanted to help.
Nothing further.
Mr. Richardson, do
you wish to cross?
No questions, Your Honor.
SAM CAROTHERS: Mrs.
Sylvester, you may step down.
Russ.
Hey, Russ.
Russ.
[dog snarling]
[dog barking]
Oh no.
No.
No.
No.
Good dog.
Hey, Russ.
Good dog.
Russ!
Good dog!
Buck, no!
No.
It's OK, Buck.
It's OK.
Good.
Good dog.
Sit.
Sit.
Come on.
Good dog.
That a boy.
That a boy.
You all right?
Well, considering how close
I came to being dog food,
I'm swell.
Sorry.
I was in the bathroom.
I just heard you a minute ago.
He always like that?
He's-- he's very territorial.
You mean-- you
mean he acts like
that when anybody comes around
the house and you're not here?
Oh yeah.
He won't let anybody
near the house.
BEN MATLOCK: You know, we've
heard some pretty confusing
testimony around here lately.
First, Lucas perjured
himself and then
your wife perjures herself.
What's going on?
How should I know?
It's because you told her
to corroborate Lucas's story,
didn't you?
You told her to admit
to an affair that never
happened so that Lucas
would have an alibi
for the time of the murder.
That's ridiculous.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
How long have you
known Lucas Anderson?
15 years, ever since
he moved to Mount Harlan.
You sure you didn't
know him 20 years ago
when he and two others
robbed that bank
over in Athens, Georgia?
Of course not.
BEN MATLOCK: You were an officer
of that bank, weren't you?
Yes.
But you didn't know him.
It was just a coincidence.
Yes.
Well, what about the
Orwell Corporation?
I'm sorry.
I don't understand.
The Orwell Corporation?
Yeah.
The holding company that
Bobby Atwater, Jim Hamilton,
and Lucas Anderson
drew their money out
of when they got out of
prison to start over.
You don't remember that?
That beats me.
You were his general partner.
You helped those three men
rob that bank, didn't you?
No.
Then when they got
arrested, you begged them
not to blow the whistle on you.
You promised that you
would invest that money.
It'd be waiting for them
when they got out of prison.
And so you formed the Orwell
Corporation as a front
for that stolen money.
I did no such thing.
And everything
would have been fine,
no one would have
been the wiser,
if Noel hadn't showed up.
And he got poking around in
Lucas Anderson's affairs.
And then not only Lucas was
afraid he'd be found out
but you were afraid
you'd be found out.
So the two of you got
your heads together
and, when the occasion
arose, you both killed him,
didn't you?
I did no such--
that is a lie, Mr. Matlock.
How dare you?
Objection, Your Honor.
Where is the proof?
Right here.
Right here.
The proof's right
here, Your Honor.
Then let's have it.
This is the knife that
killed Noel Ferguson.
You recognize it?
No.
Now Russ told the
police that he keeps
his knife on his back porch.
Were you ever on
Russ's back porch?
JACK SYLVESTER: No.
I never had the pleasure.
Russ has a dog, a doberman.
Did you know that?
JACK SYLVESTER: No.
Oh, it's a good guard dog.
Good guard dog.
Won't let anybody
near that back porch.
I nearly got bit there
myself yesterday.
Have you ever been
bitten by that dog?
I told you I didn't
even know he had a dog.
Well, you know
that's real odd.
That's interesting.
According to the emergency
room records at Mercy Hospital
over in Albany, you were
treated for a dog bite
on your upper left thigh
at 7:30 PM on August 18,
the day Noel
Ferguson was killed.
That does not mean--
The doctor filled
out this form.
He had to.
It's the law.
And this is a copy
that I received
from the health department.
And down here, you
say that you were
bitten by a large doberman.
That was kind of dumb.
I'd have lied about that.
Mr. Matlock.
Well, Your Honor, surely
he had to know somebody
would come after
him on that one.
Mr. Matlock.
Yes, sir.
I think that both you
and Lucas Anderson
knew that Noel was somebody
you could not ignore.
Lucas, knowing Russ
was a real patsy,
lured him away from his job
so he wouldn't have an alibi
for the time of the
murder, while you
went over to Russ's
house, stole his knife,
got bit in the process.
Then one or both of you
went over to Noel's motel
and stabbed him to death.
And left the knife
to incriminate Russ.
Then you went over to Albany
to get your dog bite taken care
of because you
couldn't do it here
because everybody-- of course,
everybody knows now anyway.
The bank robbery 20 years
ago, the Orwell Corporation,
the lie your wife told on
the stand, the dog bite,
all coincidences?
I don't think so.
And I seriously doubt
that they do either.
Ladies and
gentlemen of the jury,
have you reached a verdict?
We have, Your Honor.
We find the defendant
Russell Gifford not guilty.
SAM CAROTHERS: Thank
you one and all.
This court is adjourned.
You're welcome back
anytime, both of you.
Next time you're here, you
can do it in the gazebo.
Do what?
Get married.
We'll keep that in mind.
Thank you for
everything, Uncle Ben.
You don't know how
much I appreciate it.
Ah, pleasure.
Well, we had a good time.
Bye.
Thank you.
BEN MATLOCK: Hey, Harley.
Hello, Ben.
Neighbor of Gary Andler said he
saw Lucas talking to Gary out
back by his truck about
20 minutes before we
found it in the ditch.
And the lab found
traces of blood
on a wrench we took
out of Lucas's van.
You going to press charges?
Yep.
Thought you ought to know.
Tell you what, Harley.
Next time I come back here,
let's just go fishing.
Let's do that.
I'll see you.
You surprised me, Ben.
I expected you to make a
fool of yourself in court
but you got away with it.
Oh, thank you, Lucy.
You're rich.
You're famous.
Well, that's what they say.
You still play the ukulele?
Every chance I get.
I figured.
Still like hot dogs?
Sure do.
I hate hot dogs.
I know you do, Lucy.
I'm glad I never
married you, Ben.
I'm glad you're glad, Lucy.
Come on, Billy.
What's that?
Five spot.
Look at it this way, Ben.
You got a successful
law practice in Atlanta,
you got a brand new five spot
in your hand, you're a free man,
and I got Lucy.
Count your blessings.
LUCY LEWIS: Come on, Billy.
[whimsical music]
[chatter]
What are you doing?
Counting my blessings.
[theme music]
MAN [VOICEOVER]: Viacom.
Hook the carabiner
here just like that.
MAN 1: All right, guys.
Easy.
All right.
Here?
You got him?
Yeah.
How you doing, son?
First I lose Noel, now Gary.
How do you think I'm doing?
Any idea how it happened?
I found this in the cab.
My guess is he got to
feeling bad about Noel,
had a couple too many,
went through the rail.
You going to check
his blood alcohol level?
Of course, I'm going to
check his blood alcohol level.
It was just a question.
You don't think I
know what I'm doing.
I'm sick and tired of
everybody in this town
taking everything I say wrong.
And we're sick and tired
of you butting your nose
in where it doesn't belong.
You go back to town before
I give you a ticket.
All right, Harley.
We're going to settle
this between us.
I got paperwork to do.
It can wait.
You think just because
we're not in Atlanta nobody
knows what they're doing.
- Bull, Harley.
Bull.
We survived all
these years without you
in this town, Ben Matlock.
Now I got you telling me how
to check Gary's alcohol level.
All I want is for
an innocent man Russ
not to have to go to prison.
What makes you think I want
to convict an innocent man?
Harley!
Just because I don't have some
big damn Harvard Law degree.
You know what it is?
You know what it is?
Your nose is out of joint
because you're jealous.
- Jealous?
- Yeah.
- Yeah.
- Yeah.
- Yeah.
- Yeah.
Yeah.
MAX CARTER: Ben, Sheriff,
both of you come upstairs.
Hurry.
You got to hear this.
Gary called while
we were at the park.
Listen to the message he left.
GARY ANDLER
[VOICEMAIL]: Max, Gary.
It's 4:10.
I'm on my way to the
park for the party.
But look, if I don't see you
there, you've got to call me.
Remember that tattoo we saw
on that dead guy 15 years ago?
Well, Noel left me a note
on the day he was killed
saying he'd seen a
tattoo just like it
on Lucas Anderson's left arm.
And he was right.
I saw it, too.
And when I asked
Lucas about it--
just call me.
Something weird is going on.
4:10.
That's just a half
hour before his truck
was spotted off the road.
He doesn't sound drunk.
What's all this about a tattoo?
About 15 years ago
when we were kids,
me, Noel, and Gary were
walking through the woods
when all of a sudden,
we heard a shot.
Then this man we'd
never seen before
came running out of
the woods bleeding
from a hole in his back.
He fell down and died
right in front of us.
We ran off to get the sheriff.
By the time we got
back, the body was gone.
There never was a body.
Those three used to pull
pranks on me all the time.
MAX CARTER: It wasn't a prank.
It happened.
And this proves it.
The man had a tattoo on the
upper part of his left arm.
And I guess Lucas Anderson
at the Anderson Tavern
has one, too.
Lots of guys have tattoos.
Look at what's happened.
Noel leaves Gary a message about
the tattoo and he gets killed.
Now Gary leaves me a message
about it and he gets killed.
Oh, come on.
Noel got killed
because of a girl.
And Gary got killed because
he was drinking and driving.
Millions of guys
have tattoos, Max.
Guys have "Mom"
tattooed on their arms.
Girls have butterflies tattooed
on their you know whats.
Neither case has anything
to do with an alleged tattoo
that three kids allegedly
saw on an alleged
dead man 15 damn years ago.
You could at least ask
Lucas about the tattoo.
That wouldn't hurt anything.
Lucas Anderson is a perfectly
respectable taxpaying,
law abiding member
of the community.
And having a tattoo
is not a crime.
Now if you'll excuse me, I
have an accident to write up.
Do you think you
could draw me a picture
of that tattoo from memory?
Sure.
I'll send it to Atlanta to
see what we can come up with.
There is a fax machine somewhere
in Mount Harlan, isn't there?
We're not that far behind
the times, Uncle Benjamin.
You got one in your office?
I got one in my car.
Do you?
Oh.
I better get back to the party.
I'll see you there.
Damn it, Bill.
You put that whiskey in your
pocket and you leave it there.
You just wait till
I get you home.
[MUSIC - "LITTLE BROWN CHURCH IN
THE VALE"]
[SINGING] Come,
won't you come,
come to the church in the vale.
No place is so dear
to my childhood
as the little brown
church in the vale.
I already gave.
Oh, Clara.
Oh.
Excuse me just a minute.
I'll see you later.
You want some lemonade?
I'd love some.
You probably ought to buy.
It'd be cheaper.
Oh, go.
We could run over
there tomorrow, right?
OK.
Bye bye.
- Hi.
Hi.
I'm Julie March,
Ben Matlock's friend.
Ah.
Karen Sylvester.
Oh, you're the banker's wife.
Yes.
Don't you work for
your husband, too?
Yes, I do.
It's kind of like
working for him at home.
Takes what I do for granted
and I never get a raise.
I think I saw you
walking the other morning
with a group of women.
I'd love to join you
sometime if you don't mind.
Uh, fine.
We meet over by the church.
6:30 AM start.
OK.
6:30.
Well, maybe we'll
see you tomorrow.
Oh, I'll be there.
Thank you.
KAREN SYLVESTER: Bye bye.
Bye.
Ben, what's wrong?
I'm sorry about the lemonade.
Max just gave me this.
What's that?
It's a tattoo.
What's JAS stand for?
I don't know.
They're all over at
Doc's picnic table.
Oh?
Oh yeah.
I see them.
Well, hello, guys, Doc, Mr.
Sylvester, Lucas, Billy.
I guess you heard
about the boy that
was killed on his way over here
this afternoon, Gary Andler.
Yeah.
Terrible thing.
Just terrible.
BEN MATLOCK: So
you all knew him?
Well, of course, we did.
You ever seen anything
like this before?
It's a tattoo.
You got a tattoo like this on
your arm, don't you, Lucas?
Yeah.
What about it?
I was just wondering
if you two gentlemen
have a tattoo like
this on your arm.
Well, I certainly don't.
Me neither.
Would you mind rolling
up your sleeve just
a little bit so we can
take a little look?
I beg your pardon.
Just take a second.
- Forget it.
- Hey.
Come on.
He's just asking you
to roll up your sleeve.
What's the big deal?
I resent being
treated like a liar.
Come on, Doc.
We don't have to take this.
Two of my friends are
dead and I want to know why.
Now roll up your damn sleeves.
Hey.
Wait a minute.
Wait a minute.
Hold it.
Hold it.
[SINGING] Come to the
church in the wildwood.
Hey.
Stop it.
Stop it.
Stop it.
Now stop it.
Ben.
Ben.
Ben, goodness gracious.
Does it hurt?
Yeah.
Here?
Oh.
All over.
Why would a man your age
want to get into a fight?
I was trying to
stop it, Elsie.
I guess I didn't do it right.
[rock music]
Martin Jensen?
Yeah.
What do you need?
I understand
this is your work.
You understand wrong.
Two different tattoo
artists mentioned your name
when I showed this to them.
- Hey.
What can I tell you?
They were mistaken.
Well, you would have done
it at least 15 years ago.
Take another look.
Maybe it'll come back to you.
Nope.
Well, thanks anyway.
MARTIN JENSEN: Yeah.
Sorry I couldn't help.
No problem.
What are you working
on, the Rose?
MARTIN JENSEN: Oh, the dragon.
Dragon?
Wonderful dragon.
RICHARDSON: Sheriff Wilkes,
on August 17, the day
before his murder, did
you receive a telephone
call from Noel Ferguson?
Objection.
Calls for hearsay.
It's not hearsay.
You just asked him
if he had a call.
- Yeah, but--
- You can answer.
Yep.
He called me.
Mm-hmm.
Sheriff, what did he say?
- I knew it.
Hearsay.
Objection.
Hearsay.
He sound excited, Harley?
He did.
Excited utterance.
Objection overruled.
What did he say?
HARLEY WILKES: He said his
tires had been slashed.
And he thought Russ
Gifford done it.
Your Honor--
SAM CAROTHERS: Overruled.
Continue.
I'm showing you
People's exhibit number 5
and ask for you to identify it.
That's the knife I discovered
in the decedent's chest
when I went to the murder scene.
And whose knife is it?
Do you know?
Yes, sir.
The defendant, Russ Gifford's.
RICHARDSON: Well,
how do you know that?
Three reasons.
First, Bernie Andler
remembers selling it
to him three years ago.
Objection.
No foundation.
How do you know
Bernie Adler remembers
selling it to him, Harley?
He told me.
That's good enough for me.
Second, everybody in
town's seen that knife
in Russ's possession.
Objection.
Improper.
SAM CAROTHERS: Have you
ever seen that knife
in Russ's possession, Harley?
HARLEY WILKES: Lots of times.
Overruled.
Go ahead.
Give me a second, Your Honor.
Just because you know
everybody in town
doesn't make this
evidence not hearsay.
Sit down.
But Your Honor--
I said sit down.
Mr. Richardson.
Yes, sir.
So you've seen Russ
Gifford with this knife.
What makes you think
he had to be the one
to kill Noel Ferguson with it?
HARLEY WILKES: We sent the
knife to the lab in Atlanta
for analysis.
The only fingerprints
on it were Russ's.
Even a hick could
figure that out.
[laughter]
[dramatic music]
Sheriff Wilkes,
cousin Harley, do
you know anybody
who actually saw
my client stab Noel Ferguson?
No.
Do you know anybody who saw
him at or near the motor court
that afternoon?
Not that I could find.
Did you dust the
room where the body
was found for fingerprints?
I did, personally
and thoroughly.
I know it was
thorough, cousin.
Did you find my
client's fingerprints
anywhere in that room?
No.
BEN MATLOCK: Not even on
the door or the doorknob?
No.
Don't you find it a little
odd that my client would leave
his fingerprints all
over the murder weapon
and yet not leave them
anywhere else in the room?
He just didn't
touch anything else.
That's all.
How about fibers?
Did you find any fibers from
the rug at my client's house
at scene of the crime?
No.
BEN MATLOCK: He has
a-- he has a big dog.
Did you find any dog hairs
at scene of the crime?
No.
No one saw my client
anywhere near that motor court
that afternoon.
The only thing you have
tying my client to the murder
is the knife which anyone could
have stolen from his house
and, wearing a pair of gloves,
used it to commit the murder.
Right, Sheriff?
Come on, Ben.
Russ just got done
picking a fight with him.
BEN MATLOCK: No hairs,
no fibers, no witnesses.
The only thing you have
tying my client to the scene
of the crime is the knife.
Isn't that right, Sheriff?
That's right, Mr. Matlock.
BEN MATLOCK: Thank you.
No further questions.
Found it.
Guess you forgot it.
Then again, it was 15 years ago.
How'd you get in here?
Door was open.
No, it wasn't.
CONRAD MCMASTERS: It is now.
After I found this, I
made a couple of calls.
Can you imagine my surprise
when I found out that you
were in prison 15 years ago?
I just want to know
about the people
you did the tattoo on, Marty.
That's all.
[dial beeps]
Yeah.
I got an emergency here.
Somebody just broke
into my store.
Hang on.
I'll ask.
They want to know
if you're armed.
Hey, look, sorry, guys.
It was just my friend Ralph
playing a little trick on me.
Thanks anyway though, OK?
[phone ringing]
Hamilton.
MARTIN JENSEN [ON PHONE]:
This is Marty Jensen.
I told you not
to call me here.
MARTIN JENSEN [ON PHONE]:
Listen, somebody was just here.
They had a picture of the
tattoo I did on you guys.
JAMES HAMILTON [ON
PHONE]: Who was it?
He didn't introduce
himself but he
asked questions like a cop.
JAMES HAMILTON [ON PHONE]:
What kind of questions?
He wanted to know
who you guys were.
Did you tell him?
MARTIN JENSEN [ON PHONE]:
You think I'm nuts?
Look, the bad news is
I think he'll be back.
You there?
When was the last time
you had a vacation, Marty?
Vacations cost money, pal.
Meet me at 7:00 at the
warehouse on Ashford.
I'll have your traveling money.
OK?
I'll be there.
Gary was your nephew, Bernie.
I'm just trying to
find out if his death
was really accidental.
Of course it was an accident.
How do you know?
Cause the sheriff said it was.
How do you know
the sheriff's right?
Let me tell you
something, Mr. Matlock.
The sheriff happens to be
a damn good friend of mine.
In fact, he's a damn good friend
to everybody in this town.
And if you think we like the
way you got after him up there
today, you can guess again.
I didn't go after him.
I was going after the truth.
Well, you tried to make him
look like a fool, your own kin.
If you thought you had any
friends left in this town,
you can take my word for it.
You just lost them.
[ominous music]
[tires squealing]
[screaming]
You tried to kill me.
You rat bastard.
You tried to kill me.
Could I just interrupt
just for one second?
Just for one second.
Feel like talking now?
You were going to send
me on a permanent vacation.
All right.
A permanent one.
I feel like talking.
Yeah.
I feel like talking my head off.
It was great.
Thank you for having me.
Bye.
Bye.
Hi.
Hi.
So how was your walk?
It was more like a
stroll, a nice long stroll.
How are you
enjoying my vacation?
With the exception of
a couple of killings,
I'm enjoying it fine.
Well, I'm glad one of us is.
Oh, come on.
I'll buy you a cup of
coffee and a donut.
Ooh.
That was Karen Sylvester.
She's real nice.
They all are actually.
Well, there again,
at least one of us
has friends in this town.
People are jealous.
That's all.
They don't hate you.
Come on.
I'm going to stick
with a brownie,
a great big brownie
with fudge icing
that thick and
then a jelly donut.
OK.
A big jelly donut
with powdered sugar.
Let's just go have toast
and coffee at Aunt Elsie's.
If the world ever
runs out of grease,
it's because it's
all in your donuts.
If I lose, I lose.
And if I win, I lose.
JULIE MARCH: Ben, you're
doing your best here
under difficult circumstances.
You should be proud of yourself.
Oh, they hate me.
They don't.
They hate me and
I don't give a damn.
Conrad, what are you doing here?
About a half hour ago.
I decided to drive
up this afternoon.
If I had known your aunt
was this great of a cook,
I'd have come last night.
Thank you.
BEN MATLOCK: Have
you got something?
Not something, Ben.
Everything.
BEN MATLOCK: So Mr. Anderson,
it's good to have you here
today.
Let me ask you this.
Does the name Martin Jensen
mean anything to you?
That tattoo you
have on your arm,
he was the tattoo artist
who put it there, wasn't he?
Remember?
Maybe you don't want to remember
because you were in prison
at the time, weren't you?
Yes, I was.
What'd you do?
Robbed a bank.
A long time ago, I
got in over my head
with some pretty bad dudes.
I made a stupid mistake,
wound up paying for it
with four years of my life.
Is Lucas Anderson
your real name?
LUCAS ANDERSON: No.
I changed it when I
got out of prison.
My name used to be Guy Spellman.
BEN MATLOCK: Uh huh.
These other two bad dudes,
what were their names?
David Josephs
and Bobby Atwater.
BEN MATLOCK: Would you
mind taking off your coat
and rolling up your
sleeves so the court
could see your tattoo?
There you go.
Yep.
Yep.
Yep.
JAS.
That stands for Josephs,
Atwater, and Spellman,
doesn't it?
Yeah.
Well, what happened to the
other two, the bad dudes?
I don't know.
Well, the money that
you took from the bank,
what happened to it?
I don't know that either.
Well, how about this?
The three of you hid it.
And then you had the
misfortune of being arrested,
convicted, and sent to prison.
And so you had to just wait
patiently until you were
released and you recovered it.
No.
The other two might have
done that but when I got
out of prison, I went straight.
Oh, come on.
That's where you got the
cash to buy the tavern.
LUCAS ANDERSON: I told you
I inherited that money.
That was your cut of the take.
You used it to start over here
just like David Josephs who
changed his name
to James Hamilton
used his cut to go into
real estate in Atlanta.
No.
But Bobby Atwater was a
different story, wasn't he?
He squandered his.
15 years ago, he showed
up here and threatened
to expose your past and
ruin your new life here
in Mount Harlan unless
you paid him off,
so you lured him
out in the woods
and you shot him to
death, didn't you?
[arguing]
BEN MATLOCK: The body that
Max Carter, Noel Ferguson,
and Gary Andler in
the woods that day
was Bobby Atwater's, wasn't it?
You knew.
You knew Noel had
seen your tattoo.
And there was a good chance if
he continued with his research,
he'd uncover your
involvement in the bank
robbery and Bobby
Atwater's death
and so you killed
him, too, didn't you?
RICHARDSON: Oh, come on.
Objection.
Mr. Matlock.
Everyone calm down or I'll
have this courtroom cleared.
From here on out, you will ask
questions, relevant questions
about this case.
Do you hear me, Mr. Matlock?
No more speculation.
No more suppositions.
Questions.
And if you don't
understand the difference,
you'll have plenty
of time to learn
when I jail you for contempt.
Understood?
Yes, sir.
SAM CAROTHERS: Now
get on with it.
Where were you about 5:00 the
day Noel Ferguson was murdered?
Fishing.
Rainbow Creek?
That's a question.
Yeah.
According to
Eunice, the waitress
over there at your tavern,
you were gone from about 3:45
to around 6:00.
That sound about right?
Yeah.
Yeah.
Did you go by way of
Old Wedgwood Road?
Of course.
Only way you can
get to Rainbow Creek
is Old Wedgwood Road?
Well, there's a back way but--
Go on.
Well, it's kind of roundabout.
Takes a couple of extra
hours to get there.
The thing is they
were asphalting
Wedgwood Road that day.
Blocked off a whole half
mile from 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM.
Wouldn't let anybody through.
So where did you
really go that day?
I forgot.
I did go the other way.
BEN MATLOCK: You couldn't have.
You wouldn't have had time.
You went over to Russ
Gifford's house, didn't you?
No.
You stole his knife and went
over to Mount Harlan Motel,
didn't you?
And there you stabbed
Noel Ferguson to death
to keep your past hidden.
LUCAS ANDERSON: No, I didn't.
BEN MATLOCK: You
lied about the creek,
the road, fishing, because
you are the real killer,
aren't you?
No.
I lied-- I lied because I was
at Jack Sylvester's house.
I was with his wife Karen.
BEN MATLOCK: Mrs. Sylvester.
Did she say anything?
I couldn't catch her.
Talk about something
coming out of left field.
Ben, want me to
help you wipe it off,
you know, that egg on your face?
Doesn't feel good, does it?
Hi.
Hi.
I thought you
might want to talk.
Well, to tell you the
truth, I'd really rather not.
How did--
We're going to work it out.
I'm glad to hear that.
Ah.
Here, let me help you.
Oh, a bad back?
Yes.
Do you wear a brace?
Yes.
I've had to wear the damn
thing for two months.
I have a protruding disk.
I can stand up, or
lie flat, or walk,
but I can't bend over or sit
for longer than 2 minutes.
My back went out once.
Oh, I thought I'd die.
The pain was always
there like a toothache.
Yes.
Yes.
Well, I, uh-- oh here.
Thank you.
I just wanted to drop
by to see how you were.
I'm really-- I'm really sorry.
Call me if you want to talk.
Thank you.
Um, I will.
[frenetic music]
Ben!
Ben!
What?
I've got it.
I've got it.
BEN MATLOCK: Yesterday,
Lucas Anderson
told the court that he
was with you at the time
Noel Ferguson was murdered.
Is that so?
Yes, it is.
And while he was with
you, the two of you
were physically intimate?
Yes.
How long has
this been going on?
For about two months.
BEN MATLOCK: I hear you
have a back problem.
Yes, I do.
Are you getting treatment?
I drive up to Macon
for physical therapy.
Uh huh.
Do you-- do you ever talk
with your physical therapist
during these sessions?
BEN MATLOCK: Yes.
It's a lady, isn't it?
Yes.
Did you tell
her just last week
that the most annoying
aspect of your back problem
is that you have been unable to
engage in any sexual activity
for almost three months?
Careful how you
answer, Ms. Sylvester,
because Anne Weston,
your physical therapist,
is right there on the back row.
And she's all prepared
to take the stand.
So I'll ask you again.
Was Lucas Anderson with you
at the time of the murder?
No.
BEN MATLOCK: Do you
know where he was?
KAREN SYLVESTER: No.
BEN MATLOCK: Why'd you lie?
Because I know Lucas.
And he's no murderer.
I just wanted to help.
Nothing further.
Mr. Richardson, do
you wish to cross?
No questions, Your Honor.
SAM CAROTHERS: Mrs.
Sylvester, you may step down.
Russ.
Hey, Russ.
Russ.
[dog snarling]
[dog barking]
Oh no.
No.
No.
No.
Good dog.
Hey, Russ.
Good dog.
Russ!
Good dog!
Buck, no!
No.
It's OK, Buck.
It's OK.
Good.
Good dog.
Sit.
Sit.
Come on.
Good dog.
That a boy.
That a boy.
You all right?
Well, considering how close
I came to being dog food,
I'm swell.
Sorry.
I was in the bathroom.
I just heard you a minute ago.
He always like that?
He's-- he's very territorial.
You mean-- you
mean he acts like
that when anybody comes around
the house and you're not here?
Oh yeah.
He won't let anybody
near the house.
BEN MATLOCK: You know, we've
heard some pretty confusing
testimony around here lately.
First, Lucas perjured
himself and then
your wife perjures herself.
What's going on?
How should I know?
It's because you told her
to corroborate Lucas's story,
didn't you?
You told her to admit
to an affair that never
happened so that Lucas
would have an alibi
for the time of the murder.
That's ridiculous.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
How long have you
known Lucas Anderson?
15 years, ever since
he moved to Mount Harlan.
You sure you didn't
know him 20 years ago
when he and two others
robbed that bank
over in Athens, Georgia?
Of course not.
BEN MATLOCK: You were an officer
of that bank, weren't you?
Yes.
But you didn't know him.
It was just a coincidence.
Yes.
Well, what about the
Orwell Corporation?
I'm sorry.
I don't understand.
The Orwell Corporation?
Yeah.
The holding company that
Bobby Atwater, Jim Hamilton,
and Lucas Anderson
drew their money out
of when they got out of
prison to start over.
You don't remember that?
That beats me.
You were his general partner.
You helped those three men
rob that bank, didn't you?
No.
Then when they got
arrested, you begged them
not to blow the whistle on you.
You promised that you
would invest that money.
It'd be waiting for them
when they got out of prison.
And so you formed the Orwell
Corporation as a front
for that stolen money.
I did no such thing.
And everything
would have been fine,
no one would have
been the wiser,
if Noel hadn't showed up.
And he got poking around in
Lucas Anderson's affairs.
And then not only Lucas was
afraid he'd be found out
but you were afraid
you'd be found out.
So the two of you got
your heads together
and, when the occasion
arose, you both killed him,
didn't you?
I did no such--
that is a lie, Mr. Matlock.
How dare you?
Objection, Your Honor.
Where is the proof?
Right here.
Right here.
The proof's right
here, Your Honor.
Then let's have it.
This is the knife that
killed Noel Ferguson.
You recognize it?
No.
Now Russ told the
police that he keeps
his knife on his back porch.
Were you ever on
Russ's back porch?
JACK SYLVESTER: No.
I never had the pleasure.
Russ has a dog, a doberman.
Did you know that?
JACK SYLVESTER: No.
Oh, it's a good guard dog.
Good guard dog.
Won't let anybody
near that back porch.
I nearly got bit there
myself yesterday.
Have you ever been
bitten by that dog?
I told you I didn't
even know he had a dog.
Well, you know
that's real odd.
That's interesting.
According to the emergency
room records at Mercy Hospital
over in Albany, you were
treated for a dog bite
on your upper left thigh
at 7:30 PM on August 18,
the day Noel
Ferguson was killed.
That does not mean--
The doctor filled
out this form.
He had to.
It's the law.
And this is a copy
that I received
from the health department.
And down here, you
say that you were
bitten by a large doberman.
That was kind of dumb.
I'd have lied about that.
Mr. Matlock.
Well, Your Honor, surely
he had to know somebody
would come after
him on that one.
Mr. Matlock.
Yes, sir.
I think that both you
and Lucas Anderson
knew that Noel was somebody
you could not ignore.
Lucas, knowing Russ
was a real patsy,
lured him away from his job
so he wouldn't have an alibi
for the time of the
murder, while you
went over to Russ's
house, stole his knife,
got bit in the process.
Then one or both of you
went over to Noel's motel
and stabbed him to death.
And left the knife
to incriminate Russ.
Then you went over to Albany
to get your dog bite taken care
of because you
couldn't do it here
because everybody-- of course,
everybody knows now anyway.
The bank robbery 20 years
ago, the Orwell Corporation,
the lie your wife told on
the stand, the dog bite,
all coincidences?
I don't think so.
And I seriously doubt
that they do either.
Ladies and
gentlemen of the jury,
have you reached a verdict?
We have, Your Honor.
We find the defendant
Russell Gifford not guilty.
SAM CAROTHERS: Thank
you one and all.
This court is adjourned.
You're welcome back
anytime, both of you.
Next time you're here, you
can do it in the gazebo.
Do what?
Get married.
We'll keep that in mind.
Thank you for
everything, Uncle Ben.
You don't know how
much I appreciate it.
Ah, pleasure.
Well, we had a good time.
Bye.
Thank you.
BEN MATLOCK: Hey, Harley.
Hello, Ben.
Neighbor of Gary Andler said he
saw Lucas talking to Gary out
back by his truck about
20 minutes before we
found it in the ditch.
And the lab found
traces of blood
on a wrench we took
out of Lucas's van.
You going to press charges?
Yep.
Thought you ought to know.
Tell you what, Harley.
Next time I come back here,
let's just go fishing.
Let's do that.
I'll see you.
You surprised me, Ben.
I expected you to make a
fool of yourself in court
but you got away with it.
Oh, thank you, Lucy.
You're rich.
You're famous.
Well, that's what they say.
You still play the ukulele?
Every chance I get.
I figured.
Still like hot dogs?
Sure do.
I hate hot dogs.
I know you do, Lucy.
I'm glad I never
married you, Ben.
I'm glad you're glad, Lucy.
Come on, Billy.
What's that?
Five spot.
Look at it this way, Ben.
You got a successful
law practice in Atlanta,
you got a brand new five spot
in your hand, you're a free man,
and I got Lucy.
Count your blessings.
LUCY LEWIS: Come on, Billy.
[whimsical music]
[chatter]
What are you doing?
Counting my blessings.
[theme music]
MAN [VOICEOVER]: Viacom.