Matlock (1986–1995): Season 6, Episode 20 - The Assassination: Part 1 - full transcript
♪♪
Cold, that's how it was.
Cold and wet.
Why anybody would
want to be President
and live in Washington, D.C.
for four years is beyond me.
Now, they say he's a cross
between a liberal and a conservative.
I heard somebody
call him a "libercon."
A libercon? How
do you spell loser?
Yeah. Listen, I'll
see you Tuesday.
- That will be fine.
- All right.
I'll see you then.
The police chief's on line 1.
The town engineer,
Lauren Brinkman, he's on 2.
And there's a John Smith on 3.
He says he's
returning your call.
Well, tell the chief and
Mr. Brinkman I'll be right with them.
This is the mayor.
When did you get back in town?
Just now. Have you got anything?
Yeah, but not much.
You know the Shun Lee
Cafe at 8th and Lee in Atlanta?
Yeah.
Meet me there tomorrow
afternoon at 3:00.
But I don't have any proof.
Well, let's talk anyway.
I'm telling you, Dwight, that's
the mayor of Willow Springs.
I saw his picture in the paper.
- He just got back from Washington.
- Uh-huh.
Isn't it wonderful, honey?
He's just like plain folks.
And I like that.
Dwight, get your camera.
Oh, Mona.
Honey, come on.
Okay.
Zoom in. Zoom in.
It's the mayor!
Move it! Move it, please!
Everybody, get back. Just
move it. Come on, buddy.
Move it back! Move
it back, please.
Hey, he has a
gun! He's got a gun!
- Hands behind the back.
- All right.
Spread eagle. Come on.
Cuff this guy, will you?
Come on!
He was caught right
there at the scene, Arthur.
His rifle. His bullets.
His fingerprints.
Hell, he even confessed.
What more do you want?
The man who paid him to pull
the trigger. That's what I want.
If somebody paid him 25 grand,
like he claims, what happened to it?
It wasn't in his car. It
wasn't in his apartment.
It wasn't in his bank.
I think somebody
stole it back from him.
I think somebody's trying to make
it look like this man acted alone,
when, in fact, it
was a conspiracy.
Damn it, Arthur, this commission
was convened three weeks ago.
We've all assembled in this room
for four hours a day, five days a week.
We brought in Detective Bob
Brooks from the Atlanta P.D.
to conduct an
independent investigation.
We've all heard
the same testimony.
We've gone over
the same evidence...
You, me, the police chief there,
the director of St. Luke's Hospital,
the head of the League
of American Voters.
We all know this.
Then why are you the only one who
believes this cockamamie conspiracy thing?
Because I do.
Jay Reynolds was a
disgruntled ex-city employee
who believed it was the
mayor's fault he was fired.
First, he sent him
letters, then he shot him.
We found the typewriter he
used right there in his room.
Okay. Fine, fine.
How did he know that the mayor was
going to be at Shun Lee Cafe that day?
He was stalking him.
We've established that it would have
taken Jay Reynolds at least two minutes
to get up to the roof
to assemble that rifle.
Yes, Arthur, but
you can't deny...
Why is it, then, that everyone
who was at the cafe that day
says the mayor was there
for less than one minute?
- Arthur...
- No, wait a minute.
But if someone had
tipped off Jay Reynolds...
Which is what the
man contends...
He would have
been up there waiting.
Maybe everybody in that
cafe was just plain wrong.
Maybe Jay Reynolds overheard the
mayor telling somebody where he was going.
Maybe 100 other things.
Why are you so eager to believe the
rantings and ravings of a confessed killer?
Because I am not sure, Leo, that
justice is being served. That's why.
Are you missing
something, Counselor?
Uh, my client's in Denver.
He went there on an
emergency and got snowed in.
This is the third
time in eight days.
He went there on business.
What's he to do, Your Honor?
We'd like another continuance.
No.
Excuse me?
I'm not going to grant
you a continuance,
and I'm going to charge your
client with failure to appear.
And I'm going to issue a no-bail
bench warrant for his arrest
so that the next time he shows
his face in this jurisdiction,
he will be arrested and incarcerated,
and his trail will begin forthwith.
Thank you.
You can't do that.
I know this is just Willow
Springs, Mr. Matlock,
but I prefer that you don't tell
me what I can and cannot do.
I am not in the mood.
That is the dumbest, most
pig-headed ruling I've ever heard of.
Did you call me
pig-headed and dumb?
That's what I
called your ruling.
Bailiff.
I hope you don't have
a lot of plans for tonight
because you, sir, are going
to be invited to a slumber party.
Oh, no, Judge. Give me
a break. Give me a break.
I've got somebody coming to town
that I haven't seen in a long time.
- Pig-headed and dumb, huh?
- Yeah. Yeah!
Dumb. Pig-headed.
Pig-headed. Dumb.
Pig, dumb-headed. Pig-headed.
Get your thumb out of my arm.
I was hoping to surprise you.
It's been a rotten day.
Do you want to
talk about it? Hmm?
No. I think I'd rather do this.
Judge Eller?
Yeah.
Sir, we have a
warrant for your arrest.
What charge?
Attempted sexual assault.
I'm sorry, sir. Step
outside, please.
Hi, Dad.
Hi.
You know, this could
get me on Donahue.
That's not funny, Leigh Anne.
Doing hard time in the big house
has just ruined your sense of humor.
Which judge did you
call a jackass this time?
I didn't exactly
call him a jackass.
- I just...
- Lost your temper.
Well, he is a jackass.
I don't want to get into it.
- You shouldn't call him a jackass.
- I didn't.
I bet you've spent more
time in jail for contempt
than most of your
clients have for murder.
Why did you let her in here?
I used to work here, Dad.
Some people still know me,
and they were happy to see me.
Well...
I am, too.
And I'm happy to be here, Dad.
Wow. You look great.
Healthy.
You, too.
How is your husband?
Busy, and I'm not,
So I thought I'd come home
for a few days and visit you.
That's good.
Really good?
Yeah. Yeah.
I'll get out tomorrow at 8,
and I'll take you to
Brendan's for breakfast.
We'll have corncakes
and sausage and stuff.
I'll pick you up at 8.
Keep an eye on him,
Frank. He looks dangerous.
Hi.
What's this all about?
It's a party to welcome
you home from jail.
And to meet you.
How are you? Conrad McMasters.
- Leigh Anne Mclntyre.
- Leigh Anne, hi.
- I'm Julie.
- Hi, Julie. Leigh Anne.
Hi.
Well, it's nice to
meet all of you.
It's nice to meet you, too.
Ben hasn't told
us a lot about you.
He hasn't?
Well, we know you're his daughter
and you're married and you're a lawyer.
You're sure pretty.
Thank you.
Like I was saying, there's
nothing like a pretty girl.
So, Leigh Anne, do
you have any children?
- No, I don't.
- Oh.
That's too bad.
Well, come on, everybody.
It's time to risk your lives.
I've made breakfast.
I don't think I
can eat anything.
I've had corncakes
and eggs and bacon.
I just hate that:
"You don't have children?
Oh, what a shame.
When are you going to have one?"
When are you?
Dad.
Nothing's changed.
Don't get mad at me.
I won't.
It's just that things
like babies are personal
and should remain
just that... personal.
Yeah.
I'm going to look
around the old house.
Nothing's changed.
You haven't heard what
happened to Judge Eller, have you?
No.
He got arrested last night.
What? What?
Some woman accused
him of assaulting her.
He hit a woman?
Assault.
Rape?
Oh.
He's a known womanizer,
but Jackass went too
far that time, didn't he?
Ah. So you're Leigh Anne.
Yep, I'm Leigh Anne.
And you're... Les.
Coffee?
Just a tad.
Not too much now. I've got
to take care of the old bod.
So you're a married lady.
That's right.
You like it? You happy?
Well, yeah.
Ups and downs, you know.
Well, I know ups and downs.
I was married once.
She's gone now.
Oh, I'm sorry.
Oh, she didn't die.
She ran off with a
drummer from Ohio.
Oh.
He sold hats and scarves,
overshoes and stuff like that.
Interesting.
So you don't have any children.
No, Les, I don't.
Oh, that's a shame... Someone
to carry on, look after you.
You know, Ben never
talked about you much.
Well, maybe he didn't
have anything to say.
Well, maybe not.
You know, you ought to
spend more time with him.
And you ought to
give him a grandchild.
A man needs that.
Yes, I suppose so.
Do you have children
and grandchildren, Les?
No.
The wife left.
With that drummer who sold hats
and scarves and overshoes and stuff.
- Do you date, Les?
- Me? Oh, sure.
I'm out there among 'em,
two, three nights a week.
Any regulars?
I've got a little black book.
Ladies your own age?
Yeah. There's this
one, she's my age.
How old is that?
Early 60s. Right in the prime.
Prime's the time.
I don't see her
that much, though.
What do you talk about?
Oh, different things:
cemetery plots.
Do you have any younger ones?
Sure.
I've got one in her 30s.
Thirty what?
- Well, thirty, uh...
- What?
39.
Now we're talking.
What do you do with her?
Well, we bowl, play
ping pong, miniature golf.
All kinds of things.
But when it gets dark and you can't
do those things, then what do you do?
We go back to her house.
- And?
- And what?
Do you and this 39-year-old
get down to business?
I don't know what you're
getting at, young lady.
That's too personal.
And you just wait and see...
I'm going to tell your father.
I'm sorry about what
happened yesterday.
I was wrong, and I
apologize. I was out of line.
The commission I'm
on, it's making me crazy.
The way I hear it, what
went around came around.
Is that right?
I'm innocent, I swear.
You want me to defend you.
No way.
- Get out.
- Hello.
This is the jackass
who threw me in jail.
Ben, I'm innocent.
Just give me a minute.
Hear my side of it, please.
The best lawyer I ever knew once told
me to put truth beyond everything else.
He said, "Principles
before personalities."
Did I get that right, Dad?
Come on in.
Jerk.
I met her at a party
two weeks ago.
Mm-hmm.
We talked. We did
exchange phone numbers.
- But that was it.
- Yeah.
The next thing I know,
the police are at the door
saying that she's accusing me of
having attacked her two nights ago.
I never even phoned her.
Why would she lie, Judge Eller?
Yeah, Leigh Anne,
why would she lie?
Leigh Anne Matlock!
Of course. That's why
you look so familiar.
You used to be
a prosecutor here.
Actually, my last name is
Leigh Anne Mclntyre now.
I'm a prosecutor
in Philadelphia.
Why would she lie, Judge?
I don't know.
Maybe she's a fruitcake.
You're not going to believe
what she said I did to her.
Try me.
According to her, I invite
her up to my place for a drink,
excuse myself, return five
minutes later dressed like a cowboy.
Then I tied her up, and
I attempted to rape her.
That's bizarre.
And it's a lie.
Why are you looking at me?
You throw me in jail,
you could do anything.
Maybe.
But I didn't assault that woman.
I don't know, maybe she hates
men. Maybe she hates judges.
I can't give you a definitive
answer. I'm not a psychiatrist.
A psychiatrist will be
our first expert witness.
Ours?
Where were you on
the night in question?
I have a place
up at Athens Lake.
I often go there right
after work... alone.
Could anyone have
seen you there?
Not that I know of.
I took a walk on the beach.
Somebody might
have seen me there.
Ben, please, will
you take my case?
When hell freezes over.
Please excuse us.
Dad.
Now don't start up on me.
He could have done it.
He could have done it.
He put me in jail.
Under the law, he's entitled
to the best defense he can find.
His case has merit,
Dad, and you know it.
I don't know, Leigh Anne.
The man's a womanizer.
Well, you could give him a shot.
All those lectures you gave me about
the law: principles before personalities.
Dad, we could work together.
Come on, put up or shut up.
Do you like this guy?
Dad, I don't even know him.
But what if she's
setting him up?
Let's give it a shot.
Oh, I don't know, Leigh
Anne. I don't... I just don't know.
My heart's not in it.
- I'm sorry, you guys.
- What do you think you're doing?
I'm sorry. I just wondered if you
happened to be here three nights ago.
What is this? A
survey? Get lost.
Wait. I really need an answer.
I met him at a party that a
friend of mine was throwing
for somebody who's
running for Congress.
He wasn't with anybody, and
neither was I, so we talked.
I gave him my phone
number, and he gave me his.
And a couple of weeks later,
he called me and asked me
to come to his place for a drink.
And you went? Why?
You barely knew the man.
Well, he was a
judge, for Pete's sake.
I mean, how was I supposed
to know he was a pervert?
Move to strike.
So ordered. The jury will
disregard the witness' last remark.
What happened when you went
to Judge Eller's house, Lydia?
We sat and had a glass of wine
and talked for about a half hour.
It was very nice.
But then he excused himself,
and when he came back
a couple of minutes later,
he was dressed up like a cowboy,
but he wasn't wearing any pants.
I mean, he had the guns,
the lasso, everything else.
This is very difficult.
I know this is
difficult, Miss Lewan.
What happened next?
The next thing I knew, he had the
rope around me and was tying me up.
And then he
started to attack me.
I struggled so
hard to fight him off
that the rope came loose
and I managed to get free.
And then I kicked
him where it hurts,
and I ran out to my car as
fast as I could and drove off.
Thank you, Lydia.
No further questions,
Your Honor.
Mr. Matlock?
Just one question, Miss Lewan.
The events you just described,
when exactly did they take place?
On April 3rd, at
around 9 in the evening.
Thank you.
The prosecution
rests, Your Honor.
You may step down.
Thank you.
Mr. Matlock, you may
call your first witness.
Defense calls Mr. Edward
Price to the stand.
Where were you between 9 and 10
the evening of April the 3rd, Eddie?
I was at Athens Lake.
Doing what?
Me and my girl were in my car...
Well, you know, making out.
Oh.
Did you seen anybody at the lake that
night that you see in the courtroom today?
I saw him.
Let the record show that the
witness is pointing to the defendant.
You're sure you saw Judge Eller?
He was walking on the beach.
There was a full moon out, so
I could see his face real good.
I knew who he was because he's
a friend of my girlfriend's father.
How long does it take to drive
from Willow Springs to Athens Lake?
About two hours.
So if a person left
Willow Springs at 9:00,
there's no way he could
get to Athens Lake by 10?
No way.
You're sure you didn't see Judge
Eller around 11:00 that night?
I'm positive. My girlfriend's
got to be home by 10:30.
Oh.
Thank you.
Your Honor, may we approach?
Come forward.
Your Honor, we've just come
into photographic evidence
that further incriminates
the defendant.
The state would like to
reopen its case in chief.
My chambers, gentlemen.
Court's in recess.
Where did these come from?
They were left on my secretary's
desk about an hour ago.
This is clearly the defendant, dressed
precisely the way Miss Lewan described.
Not good enough, counselor.
If Miss Lewan were in these
pictures, that would be another matter.
But as it stands, at best
these photos show propensity.
But because we cannot
verify their source,
we therefore cannot
even say with certainty
that the man they depict
is, in fact, Arthur Eller.
- Your Honor...
- They're inadmissible, Mr. Sadowsky.
End of discussion.
Has the jury reached a verdict?
- We have, Your Honor.
- What is the verdict?
We, the members of
the Fulton County Jury,
find the defendant, Judge
Arthur Eller, not guilty.
Thank you, ladies and gentlemen.
You are excused, and
this court is adjourned.
Ben, uh, thank you.
You bribed that boy or
blackmailed him or threatened him.
Somehow you got him
to lie for you, didn't you?
You weren't up at Athens Lake.
You were at your
house that night,
doing exactly what that
girl said you were doing.
Thanks for being
with us this morning.
What is that? Geraldo?
Stay tuned for a
special edition... No.
It's the local news interviewing some of
the people on the Brodsky commission...
The one your rootin'-tootin'
cowboy friend is on.
Arthur Eller is not
my friend, Dad.
No one hates what he did to
that poor girl more than I do.
I sure wish you
hadn't talked me into it.
Dad, I got your point, okay?
Hello!
In here.
Did I come at a bad time?
Oh, no. We're just
discussing the Eller case.
Hush, they're
starting. Sit down.
Welcome to Fulton County Forum.
I'm Dale Lambert.
And this morning, I have with me three
members from the Brodsky Commission.
That's the commission
formed to investigate
the assassination last
month of Mayor Jeffries.
On the left, I have
Police Chief Colin Young.
In the center,
Judge Arthur Eller.
And on the right,
Councilman Leo Brodsky.
Gentlemen, thank you for taking
time out of your busy schedules
- to be with me this morning.
- A pleasure.
Judge Eller, that
trial must have been
particularly hectic and
embarrassing for you.
Yes, but now it's
over, I'm happy to say,
and I'm very grateful to the people and
to the legal system that vindicated me.
And I understand that the
investigation is still ongoing,
but can you give us some idea
of what your findings are so far?
So far, everything indicates
Jay Reynolds acted alone.
Now, Colin.
Jay Reynolds lost his job.
He blamed the
mayor, so he shot him.
- What about the other man?
- Because he was in the way.
Then why did he
shoot him second?
Come on, gentlemen.
We've all seen the videotape.
You're referring to the videotape, of
course, that was shot by the tourist?
- Yes, that's right.
- Jay Reynolds was paid.
- Ah, come on.
- They hate you, Arthur.
- There is not one shred of...
- Get him. Get him.
- Dad.
- Evidence... There is not a shred...
And we'll see you
again next week.
And we're clear.
Thank you, gentlemen.
That certainly was a
spirited show, to say the least.
You fellows were great.
Especially you, darling.
Thank you, my dear.
Mrs. Brodsky.
See you both in the
hearing room at 1.
Chief Young.
Judge Eller.
I'm afraid you were
right, Mr. Brodsky.
No.
His name is Arthur Eller.
I... I don't believe this.
I'll send you a bill.
Ohh... Are you going to be okay?
I'm going to kill her.
I'm going to kill her!
Whoa! Hey, take it easy.
How could you
do this to me, Eva?
I loved you.
What are you doing?
Oh my God. What have you done?
I'd like to report a shooting.
Les? What are you doing?
Hi, Ben.
I'm just returning
your weed-whacker.
And thanks. It
whacked like a charm.
Oh, good. Come on in the house.
Well, I don't want to keep
you. I know you're busy.
Well...
Is Leigh Anne still here?
Yeah. She'll be here for
a couple of more days.
Oh, that's a shame.
Why?
Well, when I first met
her... First, mind you...
She started getting
nosy about my love life.
She did? Huh.
Well, maybe she was curious.
Maybe she heard
about your history.
Well... Daddy?
Well, I'll see you.
- Morning, Pop.
- Mmm.
- Coffee ready?
- Right there.
Les just left in the
middle of a conversation.
What were y'all taking about?
I don't know...
something about women.
If he wasn't 20 years
too old for a mid-life crisis,
I'd swear he was
having hot flashes.
Did you get on to
him about women?
Well, he got on to me about my personal
life, so I got on to him about his.
You know all about
that, don't you, Dad?
Leigh Anne.
Ben Matlock.
Oh.
Oh... Okay. I'll be
there in a minute.
What's up?
Are you nuts, Leo, or what?
Well, when I saw the pictures
of them together, I just lost it.
I went crazy.
This used to be
such a nice little town.
I know this doesn't make any
sense, but I loved my wife, Ben.
I didn't mean to kill her.
Ohh. What a mess.
What should I do?
Oh, pray.
- Good morning, Ben.
- Hello, Bob.
Well, we dropped the
charges. You're free to go.
What?
According to the coroner, your
wife was dead before you shot her.
Cyanide poisoning.
Suicide?
We don't know for sure
yet, but there was no note,
and we found a cup containing traces
of cyanide-laced tea in the bedroom.
It had Arthur Eller's
fingerprints all over it.
Well, are you going
to go or just sit there?
I'm not going to be
charged with anything?
No. No.
They'll probably fine you
for defacing the corpse.
But I did try to kill her.
I know, but she
was already dead.
I don't understand.
It's factually an impossibility.
You can't take the life of someone
if there's no life for you to take.
Well, I...
If it were up to me, I'd
throw you out of the country.
But the truth is your case
would be thrown out of court.
Now, stay if you
like, but I'm leaving.
♪ Whoa, mule,
whoa, mule, I say ♪
♪ Grab your hat,
Miss Lucy Jane ♪
♪ And hold on to the shay ♪
Mm. Whoo-hoo! Mm.
Tomato sauce?
Are you making
meatballs and spaghetti?
Special recipe.
Oh, that is so sweet of you.
Mm-mm-mm-mm-mm-mm-mm.
What?
It needed more oregano.
No, it didn't.
Oh, I've offended you.
You didn't offend me.
- You know where I got this recipe?
- Hm-mm.
Straight from the mouth of the
owner of a five-star restaurant.
I asked him, "What's the
secret to great spaghetti sauce?"
- You know what he said?
- No, Dad. What did he say?
Go easy on the oregano.
Hmm.
- Ben, I need your help.
- Get off my porch.
- I don't blame you. I lied to you.
- You're damn right you did.
But I didn't kill Eva Brodsky.
Garbage! You were
sleeping with her.
Yeah, I slept with
her, but I didn't kill her.
Somebody is trying to frame me.
Get out of here.
Stay right there.
In my opinion, there's a
good chance he didn't kill her.
Oh, come on, Leigh Anne.
I know, Dad. He's a womanizer
and a pervert and a liar.
- You got that right.
- But a smart liar.
If he had killed her, he'd make
sure he had three alibis, all airtight.
Come on, Leigh Anne.
You won't take his case?
No... no matter how many
times you quote things I've said.
All right. That's your right.
Would you come in?
I don't care what you say.
You took the case for spite.
I did not take
the case for spite.
Then why did you take it?
I don't think he did it.
And the worst person in the
world deserves representation.
I don't know about that.
He already lied to me.
He was sleeping
with Eva Brodsky.
And you took it for spite.
Dad, we've grown apart.
We are alike and yet so different,
and gradually we've grown apart.
I know it's hard for you to
think of me as an adult, but I am.
I know this Arthur
Eller is low and base,
but something about the case intrigues
me, and you've got to let me have my head.
Some things don't have
simple explanations.
Everything I know does.
- Yeah?
- Yeah.
When I was 5, I asked you
where babies came from,
and you said, "Go
ask your mother."
Well, yeah, but...
Things were difficult for her.
She told me about God and
that babies came from heaven.
Well, they do.
Where are you going?
Room 335.
I'm meeting whoever's
prosecuting the case for discovery.
Mind if I go with you?
Why?
And here's the
report filed by the
detective who searched
Arthur Eller's house,
during which a container of cyanide
was found in a cupboard beneath his sink.
Well, that doesn't
make sense, does it?
He dumps cyanide
in his lover's tea,
then runs home past hundreds
of thousands of garbage cans
so that he can put the incriminating
evidence in plain sight under his sink.
Also, the police tracked
down the messenger
who left those
photos of your client
dressed... or should I say
undressed... As a cowboy.
And, according to his statement, he
received a phone call from a woman
telling him to pick up the
envelope containing the photos
from a house at 1128 North
Star Drive... Eva Brodsky's house.
Eva Brodsky sent those pictures?
My guess is that she and Judge
Eller had a fight or something,
and she sent them in
order to get revenge,
only he found out, got
mad, and killed her...
Which gives us motive.
Did the messenger
actually see Eva Brodsky
when he picked up the
photos at that address?
No, she left them
for him in the mailbox.
Anybody could
have put them there.
And finally, I have the statement
of one Curtis Bartholomew,
who lives across the street
from the Brodsky residence.
And he's ready to testify
that he saw Arthur Eller enter
Eva's house at approximately 5 p.m.
the day she was murdered.
He said he wasn't there all day.
Okay, well, he probably
did see me there.
Eva called, said that Leo wasn't
going to be home for dinner.
I went there straight after
work, stayed till about 6:30.
You lied to me, Judge Eller.
Leigh Anne, I'm a judge.
I've presided over
literally hundreds of cases.
If the jury had found out that I
went to Eva's house that night,
that's all they'd remember.
I had no choice but to lie.
What else have you lied about?
Nothing. That's it. I swear.
Let's get this
straight, Judge Eller.
You lie to me once more about this
case, about what you had for breakfast,
about anything,
and I'll be history.
And believe me, so will you.
You got that?
Understood.
Now, where is this
videotape you want me to see?
Somebody sitting at the cafe
recorded this thing from start to finish.
Well, this is all very interesting, Judge,
but what's it got to do with your case?
I was the only person on
the Brodsky commission
who believed that Jay Reynolds
shot the mayor because he was paid.
That's why I've been framed, because
somebody wants me off that commission.
Okay, now here's what
I want you to look at.
Right... there.
See that guy standing
there in the jean jacket?
- Mm-hmm.
- He stands there, he waits.
If I rolled the tape, you'd see
that he starts running around
like he's freaked
out or something,
but if he were really freaked
out, you'd think he'd leave.
Watch what he does.
Okay, he's out of frame for a few
minutes with all this general confusion.
Then, when he re-enters,
who does he run into?
The killer Jay Reynolds.
It's almost as if he knew Jay
Reynolds was coming out of that building
and wanted to make
sure he got caught.
That's right.
Then he disappears into the crowd
before the police can take his name.
The man's never heard again.
I wonder who he is.
Yeah.
What do you want?
We've got a little problem.
Nothing you and
Judd can't handle.
No, no, no, Dad.
I distinctly remember, he
wasn't on The Beverly Hillbillies.
He was on Green Acres.
Leigh Anne, we used to
watch those shows together.
It was The Beverly Hillbillies.
Dad, the pig was on Green
Acres. He even won an award.
The pig was on Beverly
Hillbillies, and his name was Jed.
His name was Arnold,
and he was on Green Acres.
Who was Jed?
Jed Clampett... Buddy
Ebsen, Beverly Hillbillies.
Oh, yeah. That's
right. I remember now.
Every time we watched Green
Acres, I got hungry for a barbecue.
I'll make some tea.
I agree with him, Dad.
How'd I do?
I think he was framed
because of that commission.
Mr. Taylor, you're a genius.
Unless he's lying.
This time, I don't think so.
You say this man paid
you to kill the mayor?
What did he look like?
Oh, I don't know... medium
height, medium build, brown hair.
I only met him twice.
- Where did you meet him?
- Parking garage at the mall.
I'd park in a particular
spot, and he'd walk up.
We'd talk, he'd walk away.
The second time,
he gave me 25 grand
and told me that the mayor would be
at the Shun Lee Cafe at 3 that afternoon.
He told me to take out
him and whoever he met.
Did he tell you why?
No.
And what about this man... The
man who ran into you on the street?
Ever see him before?
I don't know.
Somebody hung you out to
dry pretty good, didn't they?
Yeah.
Who? Who would
have done this to you?
Come on, you must
have some idea.
Lady, I've been sitting in here
for more than a month now.
I've been thinking about
nothing else, day and night.
I've got to tell you,
I don't have a clue.
Oh, Leigh Anne Matlock.
Hi, Bob.
Actually, it's Leigh
Anne Mclntyre now.
That's right. You ran off with
that prosecutor from Philly.
Oh, I won't tell Dad
you said "ran off."
Well, you did... well,
elope, I think they call it.
I think they call it that.
- Have a seat.
- Thanks.
I hear you're
representing Arthur Eller.
Yeah. Bob, I'd like to see your files
on the assassination of Mayor Jeffries.
Why?
I have reason to
believe that if the mayor's
death had been
thoroughly investigated,
Eva Brodsky's death
would never have occurred.
Is that right?
Oh, no offense, Bob.
I'll try not to take any.
I'd also like to see what
you have on Dave Peters,
the man who was also
killed with the mayor.
Okay.
Yeah, this is Brooks.
Bring me Dave
Peters' personal effects.
Yeah, thanks.
Here's our report
on Dave Peters.
He was an auto mechanic.
Just your ordinary Joe.
No record. No special ties
to the mayor... Thank you.
No reason to believe he wasn't
anything but an innocent bystander.
- Bob.
- Hmm.
I'd like to see for myself.
You know, you remind
me of a fellow, Ben...
Matlock.
Ben, yeah.
Dave's dad still hasn't come
by to pick up his stuff yet.
And I had to get it out of the
way, so I just kind of threw it here.
How long were you two roommates?
About a year.
Nice guy.
Always paid his rent on time.
Never hassled me about nothing.
Did he ever talk
about the mayor?
No, never.
Did he have a girlfriend?
He had one, Cari something.
I don't know. He
met her at church.
Phillips. Cari Phillips.
Dave mentioned her
a lot there for a while.
And then, all of a
sudden, nothing.
I guess they broke up.
What was she like?
I never laid eyes on her.
Dave was kind of straight-laced.
He never brought any girls home.
Salvatore Productions.
These belong to Dave?
I guess.
They're not mine.
I guess Dave was a little kinky.
I guess. He sure
never said anything.
Closet kinky.
Dad?
In here.
Hi. Oh, great. Just the
person I wanted to see.
Hey, honey.
What's that?
Well, these belonged
to Dave Peters.
I was hoping you could track
down the girl who stars in them.
What does some porno
queen got to do with the case?
I don't know yet, but I do know that
when he was shot with the mayor,
Dave Peters had a necklace
in his pocket identical
to the one she's wearing.
Candy Stripe, huh?
Yeah, and if you don't have
any luck with that, try Cari Phillips.
Damn!
Cari? Cari dear?
Cari, are you here?
I could have sworn
I just saw her.
Are you sure she's
the one you rent to?
She's usually wearing more
clothes, but yes, that's Cari.
Whoa.
All her things are gone.
You didn't find anything?
It's like she dropped everything and
moved out 10 minutes before I got there.
This is a complicated case.
Are you sure you
went to the right house?
Yes, I went to the right house.
And you talked to the landlady?
Yes, I talked to the landlady.
And she didn't know anything.
I think I'll go back and
question her myself.
You don't have to...
Conrad, could I have a
moment with Leigh Anne alone?
Sure.
I wish you had never
gotten involved in this.
I mean, what if he's guilty and
he's lying, like he did with me?
He deserves what he gets.
Just let it go.
It's leading to pornography,
and there's gangsters,
and it's dangerous.
It's getting too
big, Leigh Anne.
He's not worth it.
Just let... let it go.
I know he's not much, Dad, and I know
how you feel about my defending him.
I'm not crazy over him, either.
I'm a woman, for heaven's sake.
But I have to do this.
The evidence against him
just doesn't add up... not to me.
I'll work with Conrad.
We'll be careful.
But I have to do this.
I believe in it, Dad.
You understand?
Uh-huh.
This isn't working, is it, Dad?
Remember I said we
were growing apart.
I didn't think we were.
Well, we have.
Every time I've felt one
way, you've felt another.
Every time I wanted to do something,
you wanted me to do something else.
I was just trying to
open up the possibilities.
This case is a possibility.
Whenever I didn't do what you
wanted, you just became silent, like now.
Do you remember that?
In college, in law
school, and after.
The silence between us
just became deafening, Dad.
That can eventually cause all people...
Husband and wife, father and daughter...
To fall out of love.
No.
Well, you're silent,
and I talk too much.
I think till this is over,
I'll, uh, I'll get a hotel,
uh, someplace in town.
I'll call and let
you know where.
Bye.
Yeah?
I'm looking for work.
Try Burger Bob's,
two doors down.
Hey, I just got in from Chicago.
I worked a lot of Big
Buddy Balzac's films.
Doing what?
Everything, man.
You name it, I did it.
I guess we can use another grip.
All right. I'm your guy.
So what do you want me to do?
We need to put up
a parallel over there.
Let's go.
Anyway, Judge Lockhart finally
agreed to hear motions in chambers.
- Hmm.
- He wants us there at 2.
All right.
He says he'll bring the
chips if we bring the bean dip.
Bean dip, hmm?
You haven't heard a
word I've said, have you?
Hmm?
Ben, you know what
you have to do, don't you?
What?
Go over to that hotel and
apologize to Leigh Anne.
Apologize for what?
Caring for her?
For whatever it is
you argued about.
We didn't exactly argue.
Ben, you're her father,
and you love her,
and Leigh Anne's very unhappy.
Well, you're right.
As soon as we're done here...
As soon as we're done, I'll go
over there and set things straight.
Just tell her you love her.
Yeah. Just the minute I see her.
Better yet, do it right now.
- Hi, Michelle.
- Hi, Leigh Anne.
- Hello, Dad.
- Hi.
I've got jury selection.
How about you?
We're just filing a
couple of appeals.
How about those 76ers?
- Oh, great game, wasn't it?
- Yeah.
I won 10 bucks off the bellhop.
Hey.
I've got to go.
Yeah, we do, too.
"How about those 76ers?"
She likes sports.
You go to tell your daughter
how much you love her,
and out of your mouth comes
"How about those 76ers?"
Well, it was a good game.
All right, look, girls, first
you tie him to the bed, right?
And then you
bring out the whips.
Hey, hey, hold it with
the hammer, will you?
Now!
Sorry.
We'll gonna need
another parallel
on the other side
of the room. Thanks.
Hi.
Hi.
My name's Conrad.
I'm just in from Chicago...
Big Buddy Balzac Films.
The weather's better here.
Oh, I know, kid. I'm glad to
be out of that deep freeze.
Some of those outdoor
scenes are near impossible.
Why didn't they shoot inside?
Realism, they said.
I damn near turned blue myself.
I hear you're friends with Candy
Stripe... I mean Cari Phillips.
Used to be.
You used to be.
It's kind of hard to
carry on a friendship
with somebody that's
moved out of the country.
There you go, Lisa, you're done.
Great. Thanks.
When did she do that?
The day before yesterday.
Called out of the blue and says
she's moving to Europe... la di da.
- Do you know her?
- I know her boyfriend, Dave Peters.
Oh, she was nuts about him.
Afraid to tell him what
she did for a living.
Oh, it was something
when he found out.
He found out?
Yeah, went berserk.
Found out where she worked so
he could surprise her on her birthday.
Went totally bananas when he
saw this place... screamed at her.
Hell, he even stormed
into Matt Greenwood's office
and swore he was going
to close the place down.
Who's Matt Greenwood?
The guy who runs this place.
Where the hell is Louie? I'm
supposed to be shooting him.
He doesn't feel so hot.
I think he went home.
Where are the
kids? I'll shoot them.
They're not in till 3.
Oh, this is great.
This is just great.
I have got nothing to shoot.
Hey, you... take off your shirt.
Me?
Yeah, you.
All right, the
sponge bath scene.
Sponge bath?
Now who's that?
Matt Greenwood.
Here's your costume.
I'll make you up as
soon as you're changed.
Go on.
Colin Young? The police chief?
He was having a nice cozy, secret
little chat with this guy right here...
Matt Greenwood, owner
of Salvatore Productions.
This guy uses minors, Ben.
He does?
And I'll bet you anything the
police chief not only knew about it,
but he was taking a cut.
Now, what if Dave Peters was serious
about shutting down Matt Greenwood?
And what if he
went to the mayor?
And what if, figuring that the police
chief was somehow involved in it,
he and the mayor started
their own private investigation?
That would explain why they
were together that afternoon.
Yeah.
And why Jay Reynolds
was told to kill both of them.
And why Matt Greenwood made sure
that Jay Reynolds was
caught and took the whole rap.
Uh-huh.
Leigh Anne should
be told about this.
Yeah.
Yeah. She's in court.
But if you hurry, you can catch
them before she breaks for lunch.
- I should tell her?
- Yeah.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
And listen, if she decides to go talk
to Matt Greenwood, you go with her.
Lieutenant, what did the
forensic lab report indicate
was found inside the cup
by the decedent's bed?
A commercial blend of black
tea and a form of cyanide
more or less commonly
sold in jewelry supply stores.
And according to the lab
report, what was on the cup?
Traces of lipstick
identical to the lipstick
Eva Brodsky was wearing
at the time of her death,
one or two fingerprints
belonging to her,
and several others belonging
to the defendant, Arthur Eller.
When the defendant,
Mr. Eller, was arrested,
a search was made of his home.
Please tell the
court what you found.
A container of cyanide
crystal identical in formulation
to the cyanide found in the cup was
removed from beneath his kitchen sink.
Thank you, Lieutenant.
Your witness, counselor.
You say the cyanide you found
is sold in jewelry supply stores.
That's correct. It's used in
the process of silver-plating.
And your detectives canvassed all
the jewelry supply stores in the area
to see if anyone remembered selling
that cyanide to my client, did they not?
Yes, they did.
Had anyone sold it to my client?
Not that we could find. No.
Thank you.
The witness may step down.
We'll break for lunch, and then you
can call your next witness, Miss March.
This court is in
recess until 2 p.m.
- Hi.
- Hi.
I have to talk to you
about something.
A pornography ring
involving the chief of police.
That explains a lot.
Thanks, Conrad.
Did you know you're
a lot like your dad?
- You think so?
- Oh, yeah. I think...
There's Matt Greenwood.
Hey, Mr. Greenwood!
Wait up a sec.
Why are you
knocking? It's not locked.
I know, but could you
come outside for a second?
I'm reading.
Ben, it's your begonias.
I think Ralph Terwilliger's
dog is in them again.
If I ever get my
hands on that dog...
My begonias look fine.
- Hi.
- Hi.
- We had to get you out of the house.
- Why?
- We're pretty sure it's bugged.
- Bugged?
Your house and your phone.
Somebody put microphones
in my house? Are you sure?
It has to be.
Ben, we talk about Cari
Phillips in your kitchen,
and when we go looking
for her, she's left the country.
Then we talk about Matt Greenwood in
your living room, and he gets murdered.
Matt Greenwood's dead?
Somebody drove by and
shot him right in front of us.
If this thing is as big as we think it is,
bugging your house would not be a problem.
For the time being, I think
it's best not to let on you know.
You have an idea?
Yeah, I do.
Have Sergeant
Robbins get right on it.
Colin, can I talk
to you a minute?
Yes, of course.
- How are you doing, Bob?
- Fine. Fine.
Leigh Anne Mclntyre, this
is Police Chief Colin Young.
- How do you do?
- How do you do?
Mrs. Mclntyre is
defending Arthur Eller.
Oh, yes. Of course.
Shouldn't you be in court?
- We just recessed for the day.
- Oh.
Colin, I have to ask
you a few questions.
About what?
What was your relationship
to Matt Greenwood?
Matt Greenwood?
The man who was
killed this afternoon.
Yeah, I know who he is.
What I don't understand
is why you think I had some
kind of relationship with him
and why you're
asking me questions.
Because you were
seen talking to him a
little more than an
hour before he was shot.
Bob, I want to know why you're
asking me these questions.
I'm still investigating the
murder of Mayor Jeffries,
and I want to know what you were
doing with Matt Greenwood today.
My job.
That videotape we found
of the mayor's assassination,
Matt Greenwood was in it.
He's the one who more or
less nailed the shooter for us.
When we ID'd him, I paid him a
visit and asked him a few questions.
What did he say?
I don't think I'm
obligated to answer that.
In fact, if you don't mind,
I'd like to get back to work.
Oh, just one more question.
Where were you on the night
that Eva Brodsky was murdered?
Now what the hell do
you want to know that for?
Well, because I'm convinced
that the mayor's death and her
death are somehow connected
and that you're the
common denominator.
That's ridiculous.
Colin, just tell us where you were
on the 19th, and we'll be on our way.
All right.
Ah. On the 19th, I
had a meeting at 5,
which probably means I
got back here around 6.
Then, as I recall, I sat here and
worked, caught the evening news,
got home around 7:30, ate a frozen
dinner, read, and went to bed at 10.
You happy?
He's lying.
He met Matt Greenwood
more than once.
You know, he could even be
behind the shooting of Greenwood.
If we could find somebody
at Salvatore Productions
that saw him and Greenwood
together before yesterday,
you can bet that police chief is
going to be in a whole lot of trouble.
You live right across the street from
where Eva Brodsky lived with her husband.
Is that correct,
Mr. Bartholomew?
That's right. Yes.
And where were you on
the afternoon she died?
Do you remember?
I was outside in my
driveway working on my car.
Uh-huh. And while
you were outside,
did you happen to see anyone
enter or leave the Brodsky home?
Yes.
Around 5, I saw that
man right there go inside.
He came out about
an hour or so later.
Let the record show the
witness pointed at the defendant.
Are you sure he's
the man you saw?
Positive. I used to
see him there a lot.
Thank you. Nothing further.
Your witness.
How long were you out there
working on your car that day?
From about 4 till it got dark.
That's a long time.
It's a classic, see... A
'54 Chevy convertible.
I was getting her cleaned
up for a rally that weekend.
Oh.
Tell me this, Mr. Bartholomew, did
you see anyone else in this courtroom
at Eva Brodsky's
home that evening?
Yeah. I saw him.
Let the record show the witness
pointed to Police Chief Colin Young.
Any idea what time you saw him?
About 15 minutes or
so after Judge Eller left.
Thank you.
Prosecution?
Uh, prosecution
rests, Your Honor.
The witness is excused.
Is the defense ready
to present its case?
Yes, Your Honor.
For my first witness,
please call Police Chief
Colin Young to the stand.
Would you tell the court
who Matt Greenwood is?
Matt Greenwood is, or was, a
producer of pornographic films.
He died recently.
In point of fact, he was
murdered, was he not?
Yes.
And this man...
this pornographer...
Also happened to assist the
police in capturing Mr. Jay Reynolds
in the minutes
after Mr. Reynolds
had just assassinated Mayor
Jeffries and Dave Peters, didn't he?
Ironically, yes, he did.
About the only contact I had with him was
when I questioned him on just that matter.
- Objection.
- Move to strike that answer, Your Honor.
We fail to see relevancy
to these questions.
Please bear with me, Your Honor.
This line of questioning
is crucial to my defense.
Get to the point
and be quick about it.
Overruled.
- Were you a friend of Matt Greenwood's?
- No.
- A business associate?
- Of course not.
Huh.
And if I tell you that four individuals
who worked at Matt Greenwood's studio
identified you as the man
they saw with Mr. Greenwood
before the mayor was murdered...
I'd say you're a very
naive young lady
who should know better than to
believe the word of pornographers
before she believes
the chief of police.
Objection. This is nothing
but a wild goose chase
designed to distract
and confuse the jury.
I'm establishing
motive, Your Honor.
For whose murder?
Mr. Greenwood's? The
mayor's? Or Eva Brodsky's?
You're trying my
patience, young lady.
I cannot control what this
witness says, Your Honor.
But the court's use of the
term "young lady" to me
is inappropriate, demeaning,
and unprofessional.
I apologize.
Here's the deal, Ms. Mclntyre.
You have exactly one minute to
make this line of questioning relevant.
If you fail to do so,
you're out of order.
Understood?
Yes, Your Honor.
I am going to show you what we'll
call Defense Exhibit D for identification.
This is a copy of the deed
to a piece of property you own
outside Jacksonville,
Florida, is it not?
Yes, it is.
When did you buy it?
A little less than a year ago.
I subpoenaed your bank records,
and they show no indication of any transfer
of funds to purchase this property.
How did you pay for it?
I frankly don't remember.
Maybe your memory will improve
when I show you Matt
Greenwood's bank records.
I subpoenaed those, too.
If you look right here, a
little less than a year ago,
at exactly the same time that
piece of property was purchased,
Matt Greenwood withdrew $230,000
from one of his cash accounts.
Two hundred and
thirty thousand dollars
is exactly what this piece
of property cost, is it not?
Matt Greenwood purchased that
piece of property in your name, didn't he?
Objection.
He was paying
you off, wasn't he?
Time's up, Ms. Mclntyre.
You've succeeded in establishing
this witness' relationship
with everyone in this
city but Eva Brodsky.
And it is this court's opinion
that you have done this
with the sole purpose of
confusing and misleading the jury.
I chastise you for that
and am now instructing you
to move on to something else.
Your Honor, my client's freedom,
if not his life, is at stake here.
You have to grant
me a little leeway.
I have granted you
acres of leeway!
Now move on or sit down!
Dave Peters was shot and
killed along with the mayor
because he found out Matt Greenwood was
playing footsie with the chief of police.
- Objection!
- You're out of order.
That's why they were killed.
One more word, and I'll
charge you with contempt.
Eva Brodsky was killed so that Arthur
Eller would be arrested for the murder.
That's one day.
Don't you see? They wanted him
removed from the Brodsky commission.
- It was a cover-up.
- Two days. Bailiff.
What... What is
the matter with you?
How can you be
so... so pig-headed?
That's three days!
Hi.
I don't feel like talking, okay?
You lost it in there.
I made an ass out of myself.
Well, that just shows you care.
There's nothing
wrong with caring.
Caring can kill you, Dad.
Leigh Anne, you said...
we've grown apart.
Is there some way
we can grow together?
I don't know.
Is there something...
Is there something more
to this than you and me?
Peter left me, Dad.
I never liked him.
I know.
Why did he leave you?
For somebody younger
and probably a lot prettier.
You still want him?
I don't know.
I loved the minute I saw
him, and now I don't know.
Remember, all people can fall
out of love... Husbands and wives.
He's a bum.
No. He's a nice guy who's
making a fool of himself
because his hair is getting gray and
he'll never make the Supreme Court.
And she makes him feel young.
You're sure more
understanding than I'd be.
Yeah.
And here I am. I've lost my
husband. I don't have any children.
I've pretty much failed.
Oh, no.
No, you're a fine lawyer.
An attractive, strong woman.
Strong's good?
Yeah.
Oh yeah, strong's good.
You know, Dad...
I took this case because I think
the man is innocent of the crime.
But really, I wanted a reason
to stay home for a while.
You did?
Yeah, I did.
I was looking for
something, Dad.
I was looking for you.
You found me.
So what should I do?
Well, right now you
have to stay here.
So rest up, sort things out.
Let me look after you
like you'd look after me if
I were having a bad time.
Understood, Dad.
I love you, Leigh Anne.
Your Honor, my daughter has asked that
I apologize to the court on her behalf.
So noted.
And with the court's permission,
she has asked and
the defendant has asked
that I continue with
the defense of this case.
Is that all right with
you, Judge Eller?
Yes, Your Honor.
Okay, Mr. Matlock.
What are we doing?
The defense will continue with the
examination of Police Chief Colin Young.
I trust you'll make no attempt
to pursue your daughter's ill-fated
line of questioning, Mr. Matlock.
Oh, my goodness, no.
Chief Young, come
forward and take the stand.
The state contends
that because my client was at the Brodsky
residence the evening Eva was poisoned
that he poisoned her.
But you were also seen
at that residence that night,
and you left
after my client did.
What were you doing
there, Chief Young?
I... stopped by to see Leo.
I knocked, but nobody
answered, so I left.
I never went inside.
How come you didn't tell any
of the investigating officers this?
Because it wasn't,
and still isn't, relevant.
If you weren't at the Brodsky
residence, where were you?
I went back to my office, worked,
watched the evening news like I always do,
and got home sometime after 7.
Uh-huh.
You went back to
your office and worked?
- Are you positive?
- Yes.
How could you, when according
to your secretary and this receipt,
the Clean Sweep Carpet Company
brought their equipment
into your office at 6:00
and were there, busy cleaning
your carpet till around 8:30?
Want to try again?
Those workmen are
prepared to testify
that you were nowhere
near your office that night.
When you went to see Leo and he
wasn't home, Eva was, wasn't she?
And you stayed just long
enough to kill her, didn't you?
No.
When nobody answered,
I went to see Judd Taylor.
Who's Judd Taylor?
A friend.
I reserve the right
to recall this witness.
The witness may step down.
We'll break for lunch.
This court is in
recess until 2 p.m.
Well, we've got two and a half
hours to figure out who Judd Taylor is.
I'll tell you who he is.
He's a wiretap rat. I
put him away twice.
Uh-oh.
In fact, Chief Young probably
paid Judd Taylor to give him an alibi.
No.
No, if he was going to pay,
he would have found somebody of
some consequence, not an ex-con.
You can bet Judd
Taylor is his alibi.
It doesn't look good, cowboy.
Well, how do you know that Colin
Young didn't go to Eva's, kill her,
and then go to see
his friend Judd Taylor?
Because Judd Taylor said
they were together from 7 to 9.
And you're going to believe him?
Arthur, proof... you know that.
Until we have proof to the
contrary, we've got to believe him.
You've got some
nice stuff in here.
- Thank you very much.
- Huh.
Well, if you didn't kill Eva,
then whoever did had to have
planted that poison in here.
I keep this place locked up tight,
day and night, even when I go out back.
And will you stop accusing me?
- I'm not accusing you.
- Yeah, you are.
Do you have an alarm system?
No. But the police didn't
find any signs of forced entry.
Well, somebody had
to get in here some way.
You were the first person to be
accused of your wife's murder,
is that correct, Mr. Brodsky?
Yes.
Would you please explain to
the court how that happened?
Well, about a week
before her death,
I began to suspect that
she was cheating on me,
so I hired a private
investigator to look into it.
And when he showed
me the pictures of my wife
entering a motel room with
Arthur Eller, well, I just went crazy.
I went home, I got my gun, and in a fit
of rage, I shot her while she was sleeping.
At least I thought
she was sleeping.
When the police discovered
that she had been poisoned
and had died long
before I shot her,
they released me and
arrested Arthur Eller.
And before that night,
you had no idea your wife was
having an affair with my client?
No. I had no idea.
So up until then, you had
a normal, happy marriage?
Yes, that's right.
Well, would you explain
why the lady who comes in to
clean your house, Margo Church,
is ready to testify that three
months before your wife died,
you had pretty well taken up
residence in the guest room?
Is that the way people act in
a normal, healthy marriage?
Uh, no. But...
You knew about the affair
all that time, didn't you?
For all that three months?
No.
But you didn't do anything
until you realized your wife
knew something about you
that could very well ruin you.
And so you pretended
to shoot her in a fit of rage
and framed Arthur Eller
so that no one
would ever suspect
that you had already
murdered her with cyanide.
That's not true.
Your Honor, at this time, as
we discussed in chambers,
I'd like to show the tape of
the mayor's assassination.
Very well.
Thank you.
Okay. Go.
Now, this tape was made by Dwight
Hutchinson at the Shun Lee Cafe.
There was something on this tape
that I don't think has been notice before.
See there?
The mayor's down.
Yeah.
There's the other fellow,
people milling around.
And there's a cop.
Now, wait a minute,
wait a minute.
Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait,
wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait.
- Hey, it's a gun!
- Now watch this.
- He's got a gun!
- Watch this.
- The guy's over here!
- The cop's got him. See?
Right there.
Right there. You see
anything unusual there?
No.
Well, let me help you out.
We'll make it a little bigger.
There.
Do you recognize that woman?
No.
How about now?
That's your wife,
Eva Brodsky, isn't it?
Somehow, she found out
about the mayor's assassination.
Why she didn't tell my client
you were a part of it, I don't know.
- This is a complete fabrication.
- Oh, no, it's not.
My daughter believes
that you killed Eva Brodsky
and framed Judge Eller to
get him off your commission.
But you had a much
deeper problem.
Your wife knew that you
were part of that assassination.
Maybe she didn't have any proof.
Maybe that's why
she didn't tell my client.
But she got it.
She made, about a week before
she died, several phone calls.
There's your phone bill.
And some of those calls were
made to Hilton Head, South Carolina,
where you bought that nice
condominium and big yacht last year.
I believe you paid cash for it.
Yes. Last year was a
particularly good year for me.
She also called the county
tax collector down there,
and he sent her a copy
of his copy of the check
that was used to
pay your property tax.
He sent me a copy, too.
Will you please
read to the court
the name of the man whose
signature appears at the bottom?
Matt Greenwood.
Matt Greenwood.
Matt Greenwood was paying you
and Police Chief Colin Young off.
No.
You were protecting him and his
porno ring and his use of minors.
If the mayor ever found
out, you would be ruined.
Not one word of this is true.
The problem you had
was to get the police
to believe my client had poisoned your
wife and to get the cyanide into his house.
The first part was easy.
You just went in the kitchen,
found a cup he had been using
after one of their rendezvous,
and put it where the
police could find it.
The second part was easy, too.
All you had to do was
find your wife's key ring
and use the key my client
had given her to his house.
I did not.
This is your wife's
key ring, isn't it?
Yes.
At this point, I'd like this
key ring entered into evidence
because this key
to my client's house
has two perfect fingerprints
obviously placed there by
the last person to use it...
A thumbprint and the forefinger.
And the person to whom
those fingerprints belong is you.
This court is now in session.
The Honorable
Michael Alden presiding.
Dad, good luck.
- Come on up here.
- No, no. It's your case.
I need somebody up here
prettier than me. Come on.
Has the jury reached a verdict?
We have, Your Honor.
We find the
defendant not guilty.
Thank you, ladies and gentlemen.
You're excused.
This court is adjourned.
Well, what can I say?
If there's anything I can do...
As a matter of fact, you can
pay my daughter $150,000,
hang up your spurs,
and get off the bench.
Nice job.
- Nice job.
- Thank you.
I usually only have to
say that to one Matlock.
I don't know if I can take this.
Julie, if you're not doing anything
later, why don't you come over to Dad's?
Conrad, Michelle,
you'll both come too.
I'm cooking dinner.
You don't have to do
that. We could just go out.
No, I want to be with my dad at
his house and have his friends over.
Cold, that's how it was.
Cold and wet.
Why anybody would
want to be President
and live in Washington, D.C.
for four years is beyond me.
Now, they say he's a cross
between a liberal and a conservative.
I heard somebody
call him a "libercon."
A libercon? How
do you spell loser?
Yeah. Listen, I'll
see you Tuesday.
- That will be fine.
- All right.
I'll see you then.
The police chief's on line 1.
The town engineer,
Lauren Brinkman, he's on 2.
And there's a John Smith on 3.
He says he's
returning your call.
Well, tell the chief and
Mr. Brinkman I'll be right with them.
This is the mayor.
When did you get back in town?
Just now. Have you got anything?
Yeah, but not much.
You know the Shun Lee
Cafe at 8th and Lee in Atlanta?
Yeah.
Meet me there tomorrow
afternoon at 3:00.
But I don't have any proof.
Well, let's talk anyway.
I'm telling you, Dwight, that's
the mayor of Willow Springs.
I saw his picture in the paper.
- He just got back from Washington.
- Uh-huh.
Isn't it wonderful, honey?
He's just like plain folks.
And I like that.
Dwight, get your camera.
Oh, Mona.
Honey, come on.
Okay.
Zoom in. Zoom in.
It's the mayor!
Move it! Move it, please!
Everybody, get back. Just
move it. Come on, buddy.
Move it back! Move
it back, please.
Hey, he has a
gun! He's got a gun!
- Hands behind the back.
- All right.
Spread eagle. Come on.
Cuff this guy, will you?
Come on!
He was caught right
there at the scene, Arthur.
His rifle. His bullets.
His fingerprints.
Hell, he even confessed.
What more do you want?
The man who paid him to pull
the trigger. That's what I want.
If somebody paid him 25 grand,
like he claims, what happened to it?
It wasn't in his car. It
wasn't in his apartment.
It wasn't in his bank.
I think somebody
stole it back from him.
I think somebody's trying to make
it look like this man acted alone,
when, in fact, it
was a conspiracy.
Damn it, Arthur, this commission
was convened three weeks ago.
We've all assembled in this room
for four hours a day, five days a week.
We brought in Detective Bob
Brooks from the Atlanta P.D.
to conduct an
independent investigation.
We've all heard
the same testimony.
We've gone over
the same evidence...
You, me, the police chief there,
the director of St. Luke's Hospital,
the head of the League
of American Voters.
We all know this.
Then why are you the only one who
believes this cockamamie conspiracy thing?
Because I do.
Jay Reynolds was a
disgruntled ex-city employee
who believed it was the
mayor's fault he was fired.
First, he sent him
letters, then he shot him.
We found the typewriter he
used right there in his room.
Okay. Fine, fine.
How did he know that the mayor was
going to be at Shun Lee Cafe that day?
He was stalking him.
We've established that it would have
taken Jay Reynolds at least two minutes
to get up to the roof
to assemble that rifle.
Yes, Arthur, but
you can't deny...
Why is it, then, that everyone
who was at the cafe that day
says the mayor was there
for less than one minute?
- Arthur...
- No, wait a minute.
But if someone had
tipped off Jay Reynolds...
Which is what the
man contends...
He would have
been up there waiting.
Maybe everybody in that
cafe was just plain wrong.
Maybe Jay Reynolds overheard the
mayor telling somebody where he was going.
Maybe 100 other things.
Why are you so eager to believe the
rantings and ravings of a confessed killer?
Because I am not sure, Leo, that
justice is being served. That's why.
Are you missing
something, Counselor?
Uh, my client's in Denver.
He went there on an
emergency and got snowed in.
This is the third
time in eight days.
He went there on business.
What's he to do, Your Honor?
We'd like another continuance.
No.
Excuse me?
I'm not going to grant
you a continuance,
and I'm going to charge your
client with failure to appear.
And I'm going to issue a no-bail
bench warrant for his arrest
so that the next time he shows
his face in this jurisdiction,
he will be arrested and incarcerated,
and his trail will begin forthwith.
Thank you.
You can't do that.
I know this is just Willow
Springs, Mr. Matlock,
but I prefer that you don't tell
me what I can and cannot do.
I am not in the mood.
That is the dumbest, most
pig-headed ruling I've ever heard of.
Did you call me
pig-headed and dumb?
That's what I
called your ruling.
Bailiff.
I hope you don't have
a lot of plans for tonight
because you, sir, are going
to be invited to a slumber party.
Oh, no, Judge. Give me
a break. Give me a break.
I've got somebody coming to town
that I haven't seen in a long time.
- Pig-headed and dumb, huh?
- Yeah. Yeah!
Dumb. Pig-headed.
Pig-headed. Dumb.
Pig, dumb-headed. Pig-headed.
Get your thumb out of my arm.
I was hoping to surprise you.
It's been a rotten day.
Do you want to
talk about it? Hmm?
No. I think I'd rather do this.
Judge Eller?
Yeah.
Sir, we have a
warrant for your arrest.
What charge?
Attempted sexual assault.
I'm sorry, sir. Step
outside, please.
Hi, Dad.
Hi.
You know, this could
get me on Donahue.
That's not funny, Leigh Anne.
Doing hard time in the big house
has just ruined your sense of humor.
Which judge did you
call a jackass this time?
I didn't exactly
call him a jackass.
- I just...
- Lost your temper.
Well, he is a jackass.
I don't want to get into it.
- You shouldn't call him a jackass.
- I didn't.
I bet you've spent more
time in jail for contempt
than most of your
clients have for murder.
Why did you let her in here?
I used to work here, Dad.
Some people still know me,
and they were happy to see me.
Well...
I am, too.
And I'm happy to be here, Dad.
Wow. You look great.
Healthy.
You, too.
How is your husband?
Busy, and I'm not,
So I thought I'd come home
for a few days and visit you.
That's good.
Really good?
Yeah. Yeah.
I'll get out tomorrow at 8,
and I'll take you to
Brendan's for breakfast.
We'll have corncakes
and sausage and stuff.
I'll pick you up at 8.
Keep an eye on him,
Frank. He looks dangerous.
Hi.
What's this all about?
It's a party to welcome
you home from jail.
And to meet you.
How are you? Conrad McMasters.
- Leigh Anne Mclntyre.
- Leigh Anne, hi.
- I'm Julie.
- Hi, Julie. Leigh Anne.
Hi.
Well, it's nice to
meet all of you.
It's nice to meet you, too.
Ben hasn't told
us a lot about you.
He hasn't?
Well, we know you're his daughter
and you're married and you're a lawyer.
You're sure pretty.
Thank you.
Like I was saying, there's
nothing like a pretty girl.
So, Leigh Anne, do
you have any children?
- No, I don't.
- Oh.
That's too bad.
Well, come on, everybody.
It's time to risk your lives.
I've made breakfast.
I don't think I
can eat anything.
I've had corncakes
and eggs and bacon.
I just hate that:
"You don't have children?
Oh, what a shame.
When are you going to have one?"
When are you?
Dad.
Nothing's changed.
Don't get mad at me.
I won't.
It's just that things
like babies are personal
and should remain
just that... personal.
Yeah.
I'm going to look
around the old house.
Nothing's changed.
You haven't heard what
happened to Judge Eller, have you?
No.
He got arrested last night.
What? What?
Some woman accused
him of assaulting her.
He hit a woman?
Assault.
Rape?
Oh.
He's a known womanizer,
but Jackass went too
far that time, didn't he?
Ah. So you're Leigh Anne.
Yep, I'm Leigh Anne.
And you're... Les.
Coffee?
Just a tad.
Not too much now. I've got
to take care of the old bod.
So you're a married lady.
That's right.
You like it? You happy?
Well, yeah.
Ups and downs, you know.
Well, I know ups and downs.
I was married once.
She's gone now.
Oh, I'm sorry.
Oh, she didn't die.
She ran off with a
drummer from Ohio.
Oh.
He sold hats and scarves,
overshoes and stuff like that.
Interesting.
So you don't have any children.
No, Les, I don't.
Oh, that's a shame... Someone
to carry on, look after you.
You know, Ben never
talked about you much.
Well, maybe he didn't
have anything to say.
Well, maybe not.
You know, you ought to
spend more time with him.
And you ought to
give him a grandchild.
A man needs that.
Yes, I suppose so.
Do you have children
and grandchildren, Les?
No.
The wife left.
With that drummer who sold hats
and scarves and overshoes and stuff.
- Do you date, Les?
- Me? Oh, sure.
I'm out there among 'em,
two, three nights a week.
Any regulars?
I've got a little black book.
Ladies your own age?
Yeah. There's this
one, she's my age.
How old is that?
Early 60s. Right in the prime.
Prime's the time.
I don't see her
that much, though.
What do you talk about?
Oh, different things:
cemetery plots.
Do you have any younger ones?
Sure.
I've got one in her 30s.
Thirty what?
- Well, thirty, uh...
- What?
39.
Now we're talking.
What do you do with her?
Well, we bowl, play
ping pong, miniature golf.
All kinds of things.
But when it gets dark and you can't
do those things, then what do you do?
We go back to her house.
- And?
- And what?
Do you and this 39-year-old
get down to business?
I don't know what you're
getting at, young lady.
That's too personal.
And you just wait and see...
I'm going to tell your father.
I'm sorry about what
happened yesterday.
I was wrong, and I
apologize. I was out of line.
The commission I'm
on, it's making me crazy.
The way I hear it, what
went around came around.
Is that right?
I'm innocent, I swear.
You want me to defend you.
No way.
- Get out.
- Hello.
This is the jackass
who threw me in jail.
Ben, I'm innocent.
Just give me a minute.
Hear my side of it, please.
The best lawyer I ever knew once told
me to put truth beyond everything else.
He said, "Principles
before personalities."
Did I get that right, Dad?
Come on in.
Jerk.
I met her at a party
two weeks ago.
Mm-hmm.
We talked. We did
exchange phone numbers.
- But that was it.
- Yeah.
The next thing I know,
the police are at the door
saying that she's accusing me of
having attacked her two nights ago.
I never even phoned her.
Why would she lie, Judge Eller?
Yeah, Leigh Anne,
why would she lie?
Leigh Anne Matlock!
Of course. That's why
you look so familiar.
You used to be
a prosecutor here.
Actually, my last name is
Leigh Anne Mclntyre now.
I'm a prosecutor
in Philadelphia.
Why would she lie, Judge?
I don't know.
Maybe she's a fruitcake.
You're not going to believe
what she said I did to her.
Try me.
According to her, I invite
her up to my place for a drink,
excuse myself, return five
minutes later dressed like a cowboy.
Then I tied her up, and
I attempted to rape her.
That's bizarre.
And it's a lie.
Why are you looking at me?
You throw me in jail,
you could do anything.
Maybe.
But I didn't assault that woman.
I don't know, maybe she hates
men. Maybe she hates judges.
I can't give you a definitive
answer. I'm not a psychiatrist.
A psychiatrist will be
our first expert witness.
Ours?
Where were you on
the night in question?
I have a place
up at Athens Lake.
I often go there right
after work... alone.
Could anyone have
seen you there?
Not that I know of.
I took a walk on the beach.
Somebody might
have seen me there.
Ben, please, will
you take my case?
When hell freezes over.
Please excuse us.
Dad.
Now don't start up on me.
He could have done it.
He could have done it.
He put me in jail.
Under the law, he's entitled
to the best defense he can find.
His case has merit,
Dad, and you know it.
I don't know, Leigh Anne.
The man's a womanizer.
Well, you could give him a shot.
All those lectures you gave me about
the law: principles before personalities.
Dad, we could work together.
Come on, put up or shut up.
Do you like this guy?
Dad, I don't even know him.
But what if she's
setting him up?
Let's give it a shot.
Oh, I don't know, Leigh
Anne. I don't... I just don't know.
My heart's not in it.
- I'm sorry, you guys.
- What do you think you're doing?
I'm sorry. I just wondered if you
happened to be here three nights ago.
What is this? A
survey? Get lost.
Wait. I really need an answer.
I met him at a party that a
friend of mine was throwing
for somebody who's
running for Congress.
He wasn't with anybody, and
neither was I, so we talked.
I gave him my phone
number, and he gave me his.
And a couple of weeks later,
he called me and asked me
to come to his place for a drink.
And you went? Why?
You barely knew the man.
Well, he was a
judge, for Pete's sake.
I mean, how was I supposed
to know he was a pervert?
Move to strike.
So ordered. The jury will
disregard the witness' last remark.
What happened when you went
to Judge Eller's house, Lydia?
We sat and had a glass of wine
and talked for about a half hour.
It was very nice.
But then he excused himself,
and when he came back
a couple of minutes later,
he was dressed up like a cowboy,
but he wasn't wearing any pants.
I mean, he had the guns,
the lasso, everything else.
This is very difficult.
I know this is
difficult, Miss Lewan.
What happened next?
The next thing I knew, he had the
rope around me and was tying me up.
And then he
started to attack me.
I struggled so
hard to fight him off
that the rope came loose
and I managed to get free.
And then I kicked
him where it hurts,
and I ran out to my car as
fast as I could and drove off.
Thank you, Lydia.
No further questions,
Your Honor.
Mr. Matlock?
Just one question, Miss Lewan.
The events you just described,
when exactly did they take place?
On April 3rd, at
around 9 in the evening.
Thank you.
The prosecution
rests, Your Honor.
You may step down.
Thank you.
Mr. Matlock, you may
call your first witness.
Defense calls Mr. Edward
Price to the stand.
Where were you between 9 and 10
the evening of April the 3rd, Eddie?
I was at Athens Lake.
Doing what?
Me and my girl were in my car...
Well, you know, making out.
Oh.
Did you seen anybody at the lake that
night that you see in the courtroom today?
I saw him.
Let the record show that the
witness is pointing to the defendant.
You're sure you saw Judge Eller?
He was walking on the beach.
There was a full moon out, so
I could see his face real good.
I knew who he was because he's
a friend of my girlfriend's father.
How long does it take to drive
from Willow Springs to Athens Lake?
About two hours.
So if a person left
Willow Springs at 9:00,
there's no way he could
get to Athens Lake by 10?
No way.
You're sure you didn't see Judge
Eller around 11:00 that night?
I'm positive. My girlfriend's
got to be home by 10:30.
Oh.
Thank you.
Your Honor, may we approach?
Come forward.
Your Honor, we've just come
into photographic evidence
that further incriminates
the defendant.
The state would like to
reopen its case in chief.
My chambers, gentlemen.
Court's in recess.
Where did these come from?
They were left on my secretary's
desk about an hour ago.
This is clearly the defendant, dressed
precisely the way Miss Lewan described.
Not good enough, counselor.
If Miss Lewan were in these
pictures, that would be another matter.
But as it stands, at best
these photos show propensity.
But because we cannot
verify their source,
we therefore cannot
even say with certainty
that the man they depict
is, in fact, Arthur Eller.
- Your Honor...
- They're inadmissible, Mr. Sadowsky.
End of discussion.
Has the jury reached a verdict?
- We have, Your Honor.
- What is the verdict?
We, the members of
the Fulton County Jury,
find the defendant, Judge
Arthur Eller, not guilty.
Thank you, ladies and gentlemen.
You are excused, and
this court is adjourned.
Ben, uh, thank you.
You bribed that boy or
blackmailed him or threatened him.
Somehow you got him
to lie for you, didn't you?
You weren't up at Athens Lake.
You were at your
house that night,
doing exactly what that
girl said you were doing.
Thanks for being
with us this morning.
What is that? Geraldo?
Stay tuned for a
special edition... No.
It's the local news interviewing some of
the people on the Brodsky commission...
The one your rootin'-tootin'
cowboy friend is on.
Arthur Eller is not
my friend, Dad.
No one hates what he did to
that poor girl more than I do.
I sure wish you
hadn't talked me into it.
Dad, I got your point, okay?
Hello!
In here.
Did I come at a bad time?
Oh, no. We're just
discussing the Eller case.
Hush, they're
starting. Sit down.
Welcome to Fulton County Forum.
I'm Dale Lambert.
And this morning, I have with me three
members from the Brodsky Commission.
That's the commission
formed to investigate
the assassination last
month of Mayor Jeffries.
On the left, I have
Police Chief Colin Young.
In the center,
Judge Arthur Eller.
And on the right,
Councilman Leo Brodsky.
Gentlemen, thank you for taking
time out of your busy schedules
- to be with me this morning.
- A pleasure.
Judge Eller, that
trial must have been
particularly hectic and
embarrassing for you.
Yes, but now it's
over, I'm happy to say,
and I'm very grateful to the people and
to the legal system that vindicated me.
And I understand that the
investigation is still ongoing,
but can you give us some idea
of what your findings are so far?
So far, everything indicates
Jay Reynolds acted alone.
Now, Colin.
Jay Reynolds lost his job.
He blamed the
mayor, so he shot him.
- What about the other man?
- Because he was in the way.
Then why did he
shoot him second?
Come on, gentlemen.
We've all seen the videotape.
You're referring to the videotape, of
course, that was shot by the tourist?
- Yes, that's right.
- Jay Reynolds was paid.
- Ah, come on.
- They hate you, Arthur.
- There is not one shred of...
- Get him. Get him.
- Dad.
- Evidence... There is not a shred...
And we'll see you
again next week.
And we're clear.
Thank you, gentlemen.
That certainly was a
spirited show, to say the least.
You fellows were great.
Especially you, darling.
Thank you, my dear.
Mrs. Brodsky.
See you both in the
hearing room at 1.
Chief Young.
Judge Eller.
I'm afraid you were
right, Mr. Brodsky.
No.
His name is Arthur Eller.
I... I don't believe this.
I'll send you a bill.
Ohh... Are you going to be okay?
I'm going to kill her.
I'm going to kill her!
Whoa! Hey, take it easy.
How could you
do this to me, Eva?
I loved you.
What are you doing?
Oh my God. What have you done?
I'd like to report a shooting.
Les? What are you doing?
Hi, Ben.
I'm just returning
your weed-whacker.
And thanks. It
whacked like a charm.
Oh, good. Come on in the house.
Well, I don't want to keep
you. I know you're busy.
Well...
Is Leigh Anne still here?
Yeah. She'll be here for
a couple of more days.
Oh, that's a shame.
Why?
Well, when I first met
her... First, mind you...
She started getting
nosy about my love life.
She did? Huh.
Well, maybe she was curious.
Maybe she heard
about your history.
Well... Daddy?
Well, I'll see you.
- Morning, Pop.
- Mmm.
- Coffee ready?
- Right there.
Les just left in the
middle of a conversation.
What were y'all taking about?
I don't know...
something about women.
If he wasn't 20 years
too old for a mid-life crisis,
I'd swear he was
having hot flashes.
Did you get on to
him about women?
Well, he got on to me about my personal
life, so I got on to him about his.
You know all about
that, don't you, Dad?
Leigh Anne.
Ben Matlock.
Oh.
Oh... Okay. I'll be
there in a minute.
What's up?
Are you nuts, Leo, or what?
Well, when I saw the pictures
of them together, I just lost it.
I went crazy.
This used to be
such a nice little town.
I know this doesn't make any
sense, but I loved my wife, Ben.
I didn't mean to kill her.
Ohh. What a mess.
What should I do?
Oh, pray.
- Good morning, Ben.
- Hello, Bob.
Well, we dropped the
charges. You're free to go.
What?
According to the coroner, your
wife was dead before you shot her.
Cyanide poisoning.
Suicide?
We don't know for sure
yet, but there was no note,
and we found a cup containing traces
of cyanide-laced tea in the bedroom.
It had Arthur Eller's
fingerprints all over it.
Well, are you going
to go or just sit there?
I'm not going to be
charged with anything?
No. No.
They'll probably fine you
for defacing the corpse.
But I did try to kill her.
I know, but she
was already dead.
I don't understand.
It's factually an impossibility.
You can't take the life of someone
if there's no life for you to take.
Well, I...
If it were up to me, I'd
throw you out of the country.
But the truth is your case
would be thrown out of court.
Now, stay if you
like, but I'm leaving.
♪ Whoa, mule,
whoa, mule, I say ♪
♪ Grab your hat,
Miss Lucy Jane ♪
♪ And hold on to the shay ♪
Mm. Whoo-hoo! Mm.
Tomato sauce?
Are you making
meatballs and spaghetti?
Special recipe.
Oh, that is so sweet of you.
Mm-mm-mm-mm-mm-mm-mm.
What?
It needed more oregano.
No, it didn't.
Oh, I've offended you.
You didn't offend me.
- You know where I got this recipe?
- Hm-mm.
Straight from the mouth of the
owner of a five-star restaurant.
I asked him, "What's the
secret to great spaghetti sauce?"
- You know what he said?
- No, Dad. What did he say?
Go easy on the oregano.
Hmm.
- Ben, I need your help.
- Get off my porch.
- I don't blame you. I lied to you.
- You're damn right you did.
But I didn't kill Eva Brodsky.
Garbage! You were
sleeping with her.
Yeah, I slept with
her, but I didn't kill her.
Somebody is trying to frame me.
Get out of here.
Stay right there.
In my opinion, there's a
good chance he didn't kill her.
Oh, come on, Leigh Anne.
I know, Dad. He's a womanizer
and a pervert and a liar.
- You got that right.
- But a smart liar.
If he had killed her, he'd make
sure he had three alibis, all airtight.
Come on, Leigh Anne.
You won't take his case?
No... no matter how many
times you quote things I've said.
All right. That's your right.
Would you come in?
I don't care what you say.
You took the case for spite.
I did not take
the case for spite.
Then why did you take it?
I don't think he did it.
And the worst person in the
world deserves representation.
I don't know about that.
He already lied to me.
He was sleeping
with Eva Brodsky.
And you took it for spite.
Dad, we've grown apart.
We are alike and yet so different,
and gradually we've grown apart.
I know it's hard for you to
think of me as an adult, but I am.
I know this Arthur
Eller is low and base,
but something about the case intrigues
me, and you've got to let me have my head.
Some things don't have
simple explanations.
Everything I know does.
- Yeah?
- Yeah.
When I was 5, I asked you
where babies came from,
and you said, "Go
ask your mother."
Well, yeah, but...
Things were difficult for her.
She told me about God and
that babies came from heaven.
Well, they do.
Where are you going?
Room 335.
I'm meeting whoever's
prosecuting the case for discovery.
Mind if I go with you?
Why?
And here's the
report filed by the
detective who searched
Arthur Eller's house,
during which a container of cyanide
was found in a cupboard beneath his sink.
Well, that doesn't
make sense, does it?
He dumps cyanide
in his lover's tea,
then runs home past hundreds
of thousands of garbage cans
so that he can put the incriminating
evidence in plain sight under his sink.
Also, the police tracked
down the messenger
who left those
photos of your client
dressed... or should I say
undressed... As a cowboy.
And, according to his statement, he
received a phone call from a woman
telling him to pick up the
envelope containing the photos
from a house at 1128 North
Star Drive... Eva Brodsky's house.
Eva Brodsky sent those pictures?
My guess is that she and Judge
Eller had a fight or something,
and she sent them in
order to get revenge,
only he found out, got
mad, and killed her...
Which gives us motive.
Did the messenger
actually see Eva Brodsky
when he picked up the
photos at that address?
No, she left them
for him in the mailbox.
Anybody could
have put them there.
And finally, I have the statement
of one Curtis Bartholomew,
who lives across the street
from the Brodsky residence.
And he's ready to testify
that he saw Arthur Eller enter
Eva's house at approximately 5 p.m.
the day she was murdered.
He said he wasn't there all day.
Okay, well, he probably
did see me there.
Eva called, said that Leo wasn't
going to be home for dinner.
I went there straight after
work, stayed till about 6:30.
You lied to me, Judge Eller.
Leigh Anne, I'm a judge.
I've presided over
literally hundreds of cases.
If the jury had found out that I
went to Eva's house that night,
that's all they'd remember.
I had no choice but to lie.
What else have you lied about?
Nothing. That's it. I swear.
Let's get this
straight, Judge Eller.
You lie to me once more about this
case, about what you had for breakfast,
about anything,
and I'll be history.
And believe me, so will you.
You got that?
Understood.
Now, where is this
videotape you want me to see?
Somebody sitting at the cafe
recorded this thing from start to finish.
Well, this is all very interesting, Judge,
but what's it got to do with your case?
I was the only person on
the Brodsky commission
who believed that Jay Reynolds
shot the mayor because he was paid.
That's why I've been framed, because
somebody wants me off that commission.
Okay, now here's what
I want you to look at.
Right... there.
See that guy standing
there in the jean jacket?
- Mm-hmm.
- He stands there, he waits.
If I rolled the tape, you'd see
that he starts running around
like he's freaked
out or something,
but if he were really freaked
out, you'd think he'd leave.
Watch what he does.
Okay, he's out of frame for a few
minutes with all this general confusion.
Then, when he re-enters,
who does he run into?
The killer Jay Reynolds.
It's almost as if he knew Jay
Reynolds was coming out of that building
and wanted to make
sure he got caught.
That's right.
Then he disappears into the crowd
before the police can take his name.
The man's never heard again.
I wonder who he is.
Yeah.
What do you want?
We've got a little problem.
Nothing you and
Judd can't handle.
No, no, no, Dad.
I distinctly remember, he
wasn't on The Beverly Hillbillies.
He was on Green Acres.
Leigh Anne, we used to
watch those shows together.
It was The Beverly Hillbillies.
Dad, the pig was on Green
Acres. He even won an award.
The pig was on Beverly
Hillbillies, and his name was Jed.
His name was Arnold,
and he was on Green Acres.
Who was Jed?
Jed Clampett... Buddy
Ebsen, Beverly Hillbillies.
Oh, yeah. That's
right. I remember now.
Every time we watched Green
Acres, I got hungry for a barbecue.
I'll make some tea.
I agree with him, Dad.
How'd I do?
I think he was framed
because of that commission.
Mr. Taylor, you're a genius.
Unless he's lying.
This time, I don't think so.
You say this man paid
you to kill the mayor?
What did he look like?
Oh, I don't know... medium
height, medium build, brown hair.
I only met him twice.
- Where did you meet him?
- Parking garage at the mall.
I'd park in a particular
spot, and he'd walk up.
We'd talk, he'd walk away.
The second time,
he gave me 25 grand
and told me that the mayor would be
at the Shun Lee Cafe at 3 that afternoon.
He told me to take out
him and whoever he met.
Did he tell you why?
No.
And what about this man... The
man who ran into you on the street?
Ever see him before?
I don't know.
Somebody hung you out to
dry pretty good, didn't they?
Yeah.
Who? Who would
have done this to you?
Come on, you must
have some idea.
Lady, I've been sitting in here
for more than a month now.
I've been thinking about
nothing else, day and night.
I've got to tell you,
I don't have a clue.
Oh, Leigh Anne Matlock.
Hi, Bob.
Actually, it's Leigh
Anne Mclntyre now.
That's right. You ran off with
that prosecutor from Philly.
Oh, I won't tell Dad
you said "ran off."
Well, you did... well,
elope, I think they call it.
I think they call it that.
- Have a seat.
- Thanks.
I hear you're
representing Arthur Eller.
Yeah. Bob, I'd like to see your files
on the assassination of Mayor Jeffries.
Why?
I have reason to
believe that if the mayor's
death had been
thoroughly investigated,
Eva Brodsky's death
would never have occurred.
Is that right?
Oh, no offense, Bob.
I'll try not to take any.
I'd also like to see what
you have on Dave Peters,
the man who was also
killed with the mayor.
Okay.
Yeah, this is Brooks.
Bring me Dave
Peters' personal effects.
Yeah, thanks.
Here's our report
on Dave Peters.
He was an auto mechanic.
Just your ordinary Joe.
No record. No special ties
to the mayor... Thank you.
No reason to believe he wasn't
anything but an innocent bystander.
- Bob.
- Hmm.
I'd like to see for myself.
You know, you remind
me of a fellow, Ben...
Matlock.
Ben, yeah.
Dave's dad still hasn't come
by to pick up his stuff yet.
And I had to get it out of the
way, so I just kind of threw it here.
How long were you two roommates?
About a year.
Nice guy.
Always paid his rent on time.
Never hassled me about nothing.
Did he ever talk
about the mayor?
No, never.
Did he have a girlfriend?
He had one, Cari something.
I don't know. He
met her at church.
Phillips. Cari Phillips.
Dave mentioned her
a lot there for a while.
And then, all of a
sudden, nothing.
I guess they broke up.
What was she like?
I never laid eyes on her.
Dave was kind of straight-laced.
He never brought any girls home.
Salvatore Productions.
These belong to Dave?
I guess.
They're not mine.
I guess Dave was a little kinky.
I guess. He sure
never said anything.
Closet kinky.
Dad?
In here.
Hi. Oh, great. Just the
person I wanted to see.
Hey, honey.
What's that?
Well, these belonged
to Dave Peters.
I was hoping you could track
down the girl who stars in them.
What does some porno
queen got to do with the case?
I don't know yet, but I do know that
when he was shot with the mayor,
Dave Peters had a necklace
in his pocket identical
to the one she's wearing.
Candy Stripe, huh?
Yeah, and if you don't have
any luck with that, try Cari Phillips.
Damn!
Cari? Cari dear?
Cari, are you here?
I could have sworn
I just saw her.
Are you sure she's
the one you rent to?
She's usually wearing more
clothes, but yes, that's Cari.
Whoa.
All her things are gone.
You didn't find anything?
It's like she dropped everything and
moved out 10 minutes before I got there.
This is a complicated case.
Are you sure you
went to the right house?
Yes, I went to the right house.
And you talked to the landlady?
Yes, I talked to the landlady.
And she didn't know anything.
I think I'll go back and
question her myself.
You don't have to...
Conrad, could I have a
moment with Leigh Anne alone?
Sure.
I wish you had never
gotten involved in this.
I mean, what if he's guilty and
he's lying, like he did with me?
He deserves what he gets.
Just let it go.
It's leading to pornography,
and there's gangsters,
and it's dangerous.
It's getting too
big, Leigh Anne.
He's not worth it.
Just let... let it go.
I know he's not much, Dad, and I know
how you feel about my defending him.
I'm not crazy over him, either.
I'm a woman, for heaven's sake.
But I have to do this.
The evidence against him
just doesn't add up... not to me.
I'll work with Conrad.
We'll be careful.
But I have to do this.
I believe in it, Dad.
You understand?
Uh-huh.
This isn't working, is it, Dad?
Remember I said we
were growing apart.
I didn't think we were.
Well, we have.
Every time I've felt one
way, you've felt another.
Every time I wanted to do something,
you wanted me to do something else.
I was just trying to
open up the possibilities.
This case is a possibility.
Whenever I didn't do what you
wanted, you just became silent, like now.
Do you remember that?
In college, in law
school, and after.
The silence between us
just became deafening, Dad.
That can eventually cause all people...
Husband and wife, father and daughter...
To fall out of love.
No.
Well, you're silent,
and I talk too much.
I think till this is over,
I'll, uh, I'll get a hotel,
uh, someplace in town.
I'll call and let
you know where.
Bye.
Yeah?
I'm looking for work.
Try Burger Bob's,
two doors down.
Hey, I just got in from Chicago.
I worked a lot of Big
Buddy Balzac's films.
Doing what?
Everything, man.
You name it, I did it.
I guess we can use another grip.
All right. I'm your guy.
So what do you want me to do?
We need to put up
a parallel over there.
Let's go.
Anyway, Judge Lockhart finally
agreed to hear motions in chambers.
- Hmm.
- He wants us there at 2.
All right.
He says he'll bring the
chips if we bring the bean dip.
Bean dip, hmm?
You haven't heard a
word I've said, have you?
Hmm?
Ben, you know what
you have to do, don't you?
What?
Go over to that hotel and
apologize to Leigh Anne.
Apologize for what?
Caring for her?
For whatever it is
you argued about.
We didn't exactly argue.
Ben, you're her father,
and you love her,
and Leigh Anne's very unhappy.
Well, you're right.
As soon as we're done here...
As soon as we're done, I'll go
over there and set things straight.
Just tell her you love her.
Yeah. Just the minute I see her.
Better yet, do it right now.
- Hi, Michelle.
- Hi, Leigh Anne.
- Hello, Dad.
- Hi.
I've got jury selection.
How about you?
We're just filing a
couple of appeals.
How about those 76ers?
- Oh, great game, wasn't it?
- Yeah.
I won 10 bucks off the bellhop.
Hey.
I've got to go.
Yeah, we do, too.
"How about those 76ers?"
She likes sports.
You go to tell your daughter
how much you love her,
and out of your mouth comes
"How about those 76ers?"
Well, it was a good game.
All right, look, girls, first
you tie him to the bed, right?
And then you
bring out the whips.
Hey, hey, hold it with
the hammer, will you?
Now!
Sorry.
We'll gonna need
another parallel
on the other side
of the room. Thanks.
Hi.
Hi.
My name's Conrad.
I'm just in from Chicago...
Big Buddy Balzac Films.
The weather's better here.
Oh, I know, kid. I'm glad to
be out of that deep freeze.
Some of those outdoor
scenes are near impossible.
Why didn't they shoot inside?
Realism, they said.
I damn near turned blue myself.
I hear you're friends with Candy
Stripe... I mean Cari Phillips.
Used to be.
You used to be.
It's kind of hard to
carry on a friendship
with somebody that's
moved out of the country.
There you go, Lisa, you're done.
Great. Thanks.
When did she do that?
The day before yesterday.
Called out of the blue and says
she's moving to Europe... la di da.
- Do you know her?
- I know her boyfriend, Dave Peters.
Oh, she was nuts about him.
Afraid to tell him what
she did for a living.
Oh, it was something
when he found out.
He found out?
Yeah, went berserk.
Found out where she worked so
he could surprise her on her birthday.
Went totally bananas when he
saw this place... screamed at her.
Hell, he even stormed
into Matt Greenwood's office
and swore he was going
to close the place down.
Who's Matt Greenwood?
The guy who runs this place.
Where the hell is Louie? I'm
supposed to be shooting him.
He doesn't feel so hot.
I think he went home.
Where are the
kids? I'll shoot them.
They're not in till 3.
Oh, this is great.
This is just great.
I have got nothing to shoot.
Hey, you... take off your shirt.
Me?
Yeah, you.
All right, the
sponge bath scene.
Sponge bath?
Now who's that?
Matt Greenwood.
Here's your costume.
I'll make you up as
soon as you're changed.
Go on.
Colin Young? The police chief?
He was having a nice cozy, secret
little chat with this guy right here...
Matt Greenwood, owner
of Salvatore Productions.
This guy uses minors, Ben.
He does?
And I'll bet you anything the
police chief not only knew about it,
but he was taking a cut.
Now, what if Dave Peters was serious
about shutting down Matt Greenwood?
And what if he
went to the mayor?
And what if, figuring that the police
chief was somehow involved in it,
he and the mayor started
their own private investigation?
That would explain why they
were together that afternoon.
Yeah.
And why Jay Reynolds
was told to kill both of them.
And why Matt Greenwood made sure
that Jay Reynolds was
caught and took the whole rap.
Uh-huh.
Leigh Anne should
be told about this.
Yeah.
Yeah. She's in court.
But if you hurry, you can catch
them before she breaks for lunch.
- I should tell her?
- Yeah.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
And listen, if she decides to go talk
to Matt Greenwood, you go with her.
Lieutenant, what did the
forensic lab report indicate
was found inside the cup
by the decedent's bed?
A commercial blend of black
tea and a form of cyanide
more or less commonly
sold in jewelry supply stores.
And according to the lab
report, what was on the cup?
Traces of lipstick
identical to the lipstick
Eva Brodsky was wearing
at the time of her death,
one or two fingerprints
belonging to her,
and several others belonging
to the defendant, Arthur Eller.
When the defendant,
Mr. Eller, was arrested,
a search was made of his home.
Please tell the
court what you found.
A container of cyanide
crystal identical in formulation
to the cyanide found in the cup was
removed from beneath his kitchen sink.
Thank you, Lieutenant.
Your witness, counselor.
You say the cyanide you found
is sold in jewelry supply stores.
That's correct. It's used in
the process of silver-plating.
And your detectives canvassed all
the jewelry supply stores in the area
to see if anyone remembered selling
that cyanide to my client, did they not?
Yes, they did.
Had anyone sold it to my client?
Not that we could find. No.
Thank you.
The witness may step down.
We'll break for lunch, and then you
can call your next witness, Miss March.
This court is in
recess until 2 p.m.
- Hi.
- Hi.
I have to talk to you
about something.
A pornography ring
involving the chief of police.
That explains a lot.
Thanks, Conrad.
Did you know you're
a lot like your dad?
- You think so?
- Oh, yeah. I think...
There's Matt Greenwood.
Hey, Mr. Greenwood!
Wait up a sec.
Why are you
knocking? It's not locked.
I know, but could you
come outside for a second?
I'm reading.
Ben, it's your begonias.
I think Ralph Terwilliger's
dog is in them again.
If I ever get my
hands on that dog...
My begonias look fine.
- Hi.
- Hi.
- We had to get you out of the house.
- Why?
- We're pretty sure it's bugged.
- Bugged?
Your house and your phone.
Somebody put microphones
in my house? Are you sure?
It has to be.
Ben, we talk about Cari
Phillips in your kitchen,
and when we go looking
for her, she's left the country.
Then we talk about Matt Greenwood in
your living room, and he gets murdered.
Matt Greenwood's dead?
Somebody drove by and
shot him right in front of us.
If this thing is as big as we think it is,
bugging your house would not be a problem.
For the time being, I think
it's best not to let on you know.
You have an idea?
Yeah, I do.
Have Sergeant
Robbins get right on it.
Colin, can I talk
to you a minute?
Yes, of course.
- How are you doing, Bob?
- Fine. Fine.
Leigh Anne Mclntyre, this
is Police Chief Colin Young.
- How do you do?
- How do you do?
Mrs. Mclntyre is
defending Arthur Eller.
Oh, yes. Of course.
Shouldn't you be in court?
- We just recessed for the day.
- Oh.
Colin, I have to ask
you a few questions.
About what?
What was your relationship
to Matt Greenwood?
Matt Greenwood?
The man who was
killed this afternoon.
Yeah, I know who he is.
What I don't understand
is why you think I had some
kind of relationship with him
and why you're
asking me questions.
Because you were
seen talking to him a
little more than an
hour before he was shot.
Bob, I want to know why you're
asking me these questions.
I'm still investigating the
murder of Mayor Jeffries,
and I want to know what you were
doing with Matt Greenwood today.
My job.
That videotape we found
of the mayor's assassination,
Matt Greenwood was in it.
He's the one who more or
less nailed the shooter for us.
When we ID'd him, I paid him a
visit and asked him a few questions.
What did he say?
I don't think I'm
obligated to answer that.
In fact, if you don't mind,
I'd like to get back to work.
Oh, just one more question.
Where were you on the night
that Eva Brodsky was murdered?
Now what the hell do
you want to know that for?
Well, because I'm convinced
that the mayor's death and her
death are somehow connected
and that you're the
common denominator.
That's ridiculous.
Colin, just tell us where you were
on the 19th, and we'll be on our way.
All right.
Ah. On the 19th, I
had a meeting at 5,
which probably means I
got back here around 6.
Then, as I recall, I sat here and
worked, caught the evening news,
got home around 7:30, ate a frozen
dinner, read, and went to bed at 10.
You happy?
He's lying.
He met Matt Greenwood
more than once.
You know, he could even be
behind the shooting of Greenwood.
If we could find somebody
at Salvatore Productions
that saw him and Greenwood
together before yesterday,
you can bet that police chief is
going to be in a whole lot of trouble.
You live right across the street from
where Eva Brodsky lived with her husband.
Is that correct,
Mr. Bartholomew?
That's right. Yes.
And where were you on
the afternoon she died?
Do you remember?
I was outside in my
driveway working on my car.
Uh-huh. And while
you were outside,
did you happen to see anyone
enter or leave the Brodsky home?
Yes.
Around 5, I saw that
man right there go inside.
He came out about
an hour or so later.
Let the record show the
witness pointed at the defendant.
Are you sure he's
the man you saw?
Positive. I used to
see him there a lot.
Thank you. Nothing further.
Your witness.
How long were you out there
working on your car that day?
From about 4 till it got dark.
That's a long time.
It's a classic, see... A
'54 Chevy convertible.
I was getting her cleaned
up for a rally that weekend.
Oh.
Tell me this, Mr. Bartholomew, did
you see anyone else in this courtroom
at Eva Brodsky's
home that evening?
Yeah. I saw him.
Let the record show the witness
pointed to Police Chief Colin Young.
Any idea what time you saw him?
About 15 minutes or
so after Judge Eller left.
Thank you.
Prosecution?
Uh, prosecution
rests, Your Honor.
The witness is excused.
Is the defense ready
to present its case?
Yes, Your Honor.
For my first witness,
please call Police Chief
Colin Young to the stand.
Would you tell the court
who Matt Greenwood is?
Matt Greenwood is, or was, a
producer of pornographic films.
He died recently.
In point of fact, he was
murdered, was he not?
Yes.
And this man...
this pornographer...
Also happened to assist the
police in capturing Mr. Jay Reynolds
in the minutes
after Mr. Reynolds
had just assassinated Mayor
Jeffries and Dave Peters, didn't he?
Ironically, yes, he did.
About the only contact I had with him was
when I questioned him on just that matter.
- Objection.
- Move to strike that answer, Your Honor.
We fail to see relevancy
to these questions.
Please bear with me, Your Honor.
This line of questioning
is crucial to my defense.
Get to the point
and be quick about it.
Overruled.
- Were you a friend of Matt Greenwood's?
- No.
- A business associate?
- Of course not.
Huh.
And if I tell you that four individuals
who worked at Matt Greenwood's studio
identified you as the man
they saw with Mr. Greenwood
before the mayor was murdered...
I'd say you're a very
naive young lady
who should know better than to
believe the word of pornographers
before she believes
the chief of police.
Objection. This is nothing
but a wild goose chase
designed to distract
and confuse the jury.
I'm establishing
motive, Your Honor.
For whose murder?
Mr. Greenwood's? The
mayor's? Or Eva Brodsky's?
You're trying my
patience, young lady.
I cannot control what this
witness says, Your Honor.
But the court's use of the
term "young lady" to me
is inappropriate, demeaning,
and unprofessional.
I apologize.
Here's the deal, Ms. Mclntyre.
You have exactly one minute to
make this line of questioning relevant.
If you fail to do so,
you're out of order.
Understood?
Yes, Your Honor.
I am going to show you what we'll
call Defense Exhibit D for identification.
This is a copy of the deed
to a piece of property you own
outside Jacksonville,
Florida, is it not?
Yes, it is.
When did you buy it?
A little less than a year ago.
I subpoenaed your bank records,
and they show no indication of any transfer
of funds to purchase this property.
How did you pay for it?
I frankly don't remember.
Maybe your memory will improve
when I show you Matt
Greenwood's bank records.
I subpoenaed those, too.
If you look right here, a
little less than a year ago,
at exactly the same time that
piece of property was purchased,
Matt Greenwood withdrew $230,000
from one of his cash accounts.
Two hundred and
thirty thousand dollars
is exactly what this piece
of property cost, is it not?
Matt Greenwood purchased that
piece of property in your name, didn't he?
Objection.
He was paying
you off, wasn't he?
Time's up, Ms. Mclntyre.
You've succeeded in establishing
this witness' relationship
with everyone in this
city but Eva Brodsky.
And it is this court's opinion
that you have done this
with the sole purpose of
confusing and misleading the jury.
I chastise you for that
and am now instructing you
to move on to something else.
Your Honor, my client's freedom,
if not his life, is at stake here.
You have to grant
me a little leeway.
I have granted you
acres of leeway!
Now move on or sit down!
Dave Peters was shot and
killed along with the mayor
because he found out Matt Greenwood was
playing footsie with the chief of police.
- Objection!
- You're out of order.
That's why they were killed.
One more word, and I'll
charge you with contempt.
Eva Brodsky was killed so that Arthur
Eller would be arrested for the murder.
That's one day.
Don't you see? They wanted him
removed from the Brodsky commission.
- It was a cover-up.
- Two days. Bailiff.
What... What is
the matter with you?
How can you be
so... so pig-headed?
That's three days!
Hi.
I don't feel like talking, okay?
You lost it in there.
I made an ass out of myself.
Well, that just shows you care.
There's nothing
wrong with caring.
Caring can kill you, Dad.
Leigh Anne, you said...
we've grown apart.
Is there some way
we can grow together?
I don't know.
Is there something...
Is there something more
to this than you and me?
Peter left me, Dad.
I never liked him.
I know.
Why did he leave you?
For somebody younger
and probably a lot prettier.
You still want him?
I don't know.
I loved the minute I saw
him, and now I don't know.
Remember, all people can fall
out of love... Husbands and wives.
He's a bum.
No. He's a nice guy who's
making a fool of himself
because his hair is getting gray and
he'll never make the Supreme Court.
And she makes him feel young.
You're sure more
understanding than I'd be.
Yeah.
And here I am. I've lost my
husband. I don't have any children.
I've pretty much failed.
Oh, no.
No, you're a fine lawyer.
An attractive, strong woman.
Strong's good?
Yeah.
Oh yeah, strong's good.
You know, Dad...
I took this case because I think
the man is innocent of the crime.
But really, I wanted a reason
to stay home for a while.
You did?
Yeah, I did.
I was looking for
something, Dad.
I was looking for you.
You found me.
So what should I do?
Well, right now you
have to stay here.
So rest up, sort things out.
Let me look after you
like you'd look after me if
I were having a bad time.
Understood, Dad.
I love you, Leigh Anne.
Your Honor, my daughter has asked that
I apologize to the court on her behalf.
So noted.
And with the court's permission,
she has asked and
the defendant has asked
that I continue with
the defense of this case.
Is that all right with
you, Judge Eller?
Yes, Your Honor.
Okay, Mr. Matlock.
What are we doing?
The defense will continue with the
examination of Police Chief Colin Young.
I trust you'll make no attempt
to pursue your daughter's ill-fated
line of questioning, Mr. Matlock.
Oh, my goodness, no.
Chief Young, come
forward and take the stand.
The state contends
that because my client was at the Brodsky
residence the evening Eva was poisoned
that he poisoned her.
But you were also seen
at that residence that night,
and you left
after my client did.
What were you doing
there, Chief Young?
I... stopped by to see Leo.
I knocked, but nobody
answered, so I left.
I never went inside.
How come you didn't tell any
of the investigating officers this?
Because it wasn't,
and still isn't, relevant.
If you weren't at the Brodsky
residence, where were you?
I went back to my office, worked,
watched the evening news like I always do,
and got home sometime after 7.
Uh-huh.
You went back to
your office and worked?
- Are you positive?
- Yes.
How could you, when according
to your secretary and this receipt,
the Clean Sweep Carpet Company
brought their equipment
into your office at 6:00
and were there, busy cleaning
your carpet till around 8:30?
Want to try again?
Those workmen are
prepared to testify
that you were nowhere
near your office that night.
When you went to see Leo and he
wasn't home, Eva was, wasn't she?
And you stayed just long
enough to kill her, didn't you?
No.
When nobody answered,
I went to see Judd Taylor.
Who's Judd Taylor?
A friend.
I reserve the right
to recall this witness.
The witness may step down.
We'll break for lunch.
This court is in
recess until 2 p.m.
Well, we've got two and a half
hours to figure out who Judd Taylor is.
I'll tell you who he is.
He's a wiretap rat. I
put him away twice.
Uh-oh.
In fact, Chief Young probably
paid Judd Taylor to give him an alibi.
No.
No, if he was going to pay,
he would have found somebody of
some consequence, not an ex-con.
You can bet Judd
Taylor is his alibi.
It doesn't look good, cowboy.
Well, how do you know that Colin
Young didn't go to Eva's, kill her,
and then go to see
his friend Judd Taylor?
Because Judd Taylor said
they were together from 7 to 9.
And you're going to believe him?
Arthur, proof... you know that.
Until we have proof to the
contrary, we've got to believe him.
You've got some
nice stuff in here.
- Thank you very much.
- Huh.
Well, if you didn't kill Eva,
then whoever did had to have
planted that poison in here.
I keep this place locked up tight,
day and night, even when I go out back.
And will you stop accusing me?
- I'm not accusing you.
- Yeah, you are.
Do you have an alarm system?
No. But the police didn't
find any signs of forced entry.
Well, somebody had
to get in here some way.
You were the first person to be
accused of your wife's murder,
is that correct, Mr. Brodsky?
Yes.
Would you please explain to
the court how that happened?
Well, about a week
before her death,
I began to suspect that
she was cheating on me,
so I hired a private
investigator to look into it.
And when he showed
me the pictures of my wife
entering a motel room with
Arthur Eller, well, I just went crazy.
I went home, I got my gun, and in a fit
of rage, I shot her while she was sleeping.
At least I thought
she was sleeping.
When the police discovered
that she had been poisoned
and had died long
before I shot her,
they released me and
arrested Arthur Eller.
And before that night,
you had no idea your wife was
having an affair with my client?
No. I had no idea.
So up until then, you had
a normal, happy marriage?
Yes, that's right.
Well, would you explain
why the lady who comes in to
clean your house, Margo Church,
is ready to testify that three
months before your wife died,
you had pretty well taken up
residence in the guest room?
Is that the way people act in
a normal, healthy marriage?
Uh, no. But...
You knew about the affair
all that time, didn't you?
For all that three months?
No.
But you didn't do anything
until you realized your wife
knew something about you
that could very well ruin you.
And so you pretended
to shoot her in a fit of rage
and framed Arthur Eller
so that no one
would ever suspect
that you had already
murdered her with cyanide.
That's not true.
Your Honor, at this time, as
we discussed in chambers,
I'd like to show the tape of
the mayor's assassination.
Very well.
Thank you.
Okay. Go.
Now, this tape was made by Dwight
Hutchinson at the Shun Lee Cafe.
There was something on this tape
that I don't think has been notice before.
See there?
The mayor's down.
Yeah.
There's the other fellow,
people milling around.
And there's a cop.
Now, wait a minute,
wait a minute.
Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait,
wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait.
- Hey, it's a gun!
- Now watch this.
- He's got a gun!
- Watch this.
- The guy's over here!
- The cop's got him. See?
Right there.
Right there. You see
anything unusual there?
No.
Well, let me help you out.
We'll make it a little bigger.
There.
Do you recognize that woman?
No.
How about now?
That's your wife,
Eva Brodsky, isn't it?
Somehow, she found out
about the mayor's assassination.
Why she didn't tell my client
you were a part of it, I don't know.
- This is a complete fabrication.
- Oh, no, it's not.
My daughter believes
that you killed Eva Brodsky
and framed Judge Eller to
get him off your commission.
But you had a much
deeper problem.
Your wife knew that you
were part of that assassination.
Maybe she didn't have any proof.
Maybe that's why
she didn't tell my client.
But she got it.
She made, about a week before
she died, several phone calls.
There's your phone bill.
And some of those calls were
made to Hilton Head, South Carolina,
where you bought that nice
condominium and big yacht last year.
I believe you paid cash for it.
Yes. Last year was a
particularly good year for me.
She also called the county
tax collector down there,
and he sent her a copy
of his copy of the check
that was used to
pay your property tax.
He sent me a copy, too.
Will you please
read to the court
the name of the man whose
signature appears at the bottom?
Matt Greenwood.
Matt Greenwood.
Matt Greenwood was paying you
and Police Chief Colin Young off.
No.
You were protecting him and his
porno ring and his use of minors.
If the mayor ever found
out, you would be ruined.
Not one word of this is true.
The problem you had
was to get the police
to believe my client had poisoned your
wife and to get the cyanide into his house.
The first part was easy.
You just went in the kitchen,
found a cup he had been using
after one of their rendezvous,
and put it where the
police could find it.
The second part was easy, too.
All you had to do was
find your wife's key ring
and use the key my client
had given her to his house.
I did not.
This is your wife's
key ring, isn't it?
Yes.
At this point, I'd like this
key ring entered into evidence
because this key
to my client's house
has two perfect fingerprints
obviously placed there by
the last person to use it...
A thumbprint and the forefinger.
And the person to whom
those fingerprints belong is you.
This court is now in session.
The Honorable
Michael Alden presiding.
Dad, good luck.
- Come on up here.
- No, no. It's your case.
I need somebody up here
prettier than me. Come on.
Has the jury reached a verdict?
We have, Your Honor.
We find the
defendant not guilty.
Thank you, ladies and gentlemen.
You're excused.
This court is adjourned.
Well, what can I say?
If there's anything I can do...
As a matter of fact, you can
pay my daughter $150,000,
hang up your spurs,
and get off the bench.
Nice job.
- Nice job.
- Thank you.
I usually only have to
say that to one Matlock.
I don't know if I can take this.
Julie, if you're not doing anything
later, why don't you come over to Dad's?
Conrad, Michelle,
you'll both come too.
I'm cooking dinner.
You don't have to do
that. We could just go out.
No, I want to be with my dad at
his house and have his friends over.