Quincy M.E. (1976–1983): Season 6, Episode 8 - Stain of Guilt - full transcript

Victoria Sawyer is
guilty of having money

and being envied, not murder!

Would you mind telling me
what happened that night?

You won't believe it.

And it appears to be one thing,

but it turns out to be another.

I didn't pronounce
sentence on Victoria Sawyer.

The way you're slanting
this picture, you could be.

I want one more
payment, forty thousand...

They think it's
a publicity stunt.

What are you really looking for?



Some kind of dramatic ending that'll make
the movie gross an extra million dollars?

And my reputation
is on the line.

So is a woman's life.

Gentlemen, you
are about to enter

the most fascinating
sphere of police work,

the world of forensic medicine.

(CLOCK CHIMING)

(GUN FIRES)

Cut... Lights... Okay on camera?

Okay on sound?

Print it!

Let's go with that take and
the one where the light blew

maybe we can
use a piece of that.

What's next, the aftermath?



Scene 386 through 388.

Aftermath of killing.
Discovery of body.

Are you ready for the
blood splattering, Gil?

Yeah, and please hustle.
We're about three hours behind.

Bob, Where's our technical
advisor? This is absolutely critical.

- I want
everything double-checked.
- Good luck...

Quiet on the set!
Everybody freeze!

(SNORING)

If it isn't an
inconvenience, Doctor,

you're wanted on the set.

Oh, you'd feel awfully guilty

if you knew the dream
you just interrupted...

Okay...

Oh... I'm sorry. Working
two jobs is murder.

I had to stay late at the
lab last night to catch up.

What do you need?

The next time we see our
leading man he's a corpse.

I want you to make
sure he looks the part.

Okay.

No, paint the exit
wound a little higher.

Be careful with the tears,
I'll check it a little later.

Make yourself comfortable
at the table, okay?

Sure.

Listen, if I see anything
that's not real anyway,

you don't want me to
pull any punches do ya?

No I don't... That's why
you are here, Doctor.

I want the death in this picture
to be as authentic as the lives.

Then I think you better
get somebody else

besides a house painter
to slap that phony blood on.

He's hardly a house painter.

That's our Art Director. Farley!

Yeah? Our technical advisor says

we've got a problem
oh the blood...

- Oh, is that so?
- Look, no offense,

but with you movie people,
it's always raining blood

like Pharaoh's plague.

Is that so?

At the rehearsal,

didn't you place the victims
head at the edge of the bed here?

At least he was awake
for the rehearsal...

Do you mind!

The blood splatters
in the shape of a cone,

it gets wider as
it gets farther out.

Now if his head was
placed here, you see...

The splatter's too wide.

He was in the middle
of the bed somewhere.

But, maybe
nobody'll care... I care!

I mean, look at this set!

This whole thing was
recreated down to the last detail.

The wallpaper is the same that
was in Harland Sawyer's room.

I'm only talking
about the blood...

But that's accurate, too!

If you don't think so, go talk
to the police photographer

who was there...

Is this an actual
crime scene photo?

I hate to disappoint
you, but, yes.

May I see the rest
of them, please?

That's the only one we've got.

And let me tell
you it wasn't easy.

Any more comments
about my blood splattering?

No, you did it right.

But there's
something wrong here.

Oooow... I don't
believe this man!

I'm telling you, Sawyer's
head was not on that pillow

when he was shot.

He was either moved into
that position or he fell into it.

So we're all wrong,

the writers, the research
people, the art director, and me.

Everybody, we're all wrong!

I think you are,

which means we may be looking

at an incredible
miscarriage of justice.

Well, Quincy, I got 'em here.

You should be
pleased with these.

Quincy... Will ya look at that?

He not only asks
us to do him a favor,

but he expects
us to tuck him in.

Quincy... Oh... I'm sorry...

Oh, I can't handle two
jobs, I'm just too old.

I don't see why you're
killing yourself like this?

Didn't I tell you?
I got termites.

Wanna use the shower?

Yeah, very funny.

You don't know how
much it's gonna cost

to repair and fumigate my boat.

Oh... So, that's why
you're moonlighting, huh?

You know, I suspect we're
gonna lose him to Hollywood.

Are you kidding?

I found out the
last thing they want

from a technical
advisor is advice.

Well, here... These
might cheer you up.

Here's the bullet hole
and there's the blood.

That's incredible!

- What?
- I knew it was
all loused up...

They had the victim sleeping
at the right edge of the bed.

Well, that's what
happened, isn't it?

Didn't his wife blast
him while he was asleep?

According to the
blood pattern here,

he was sitting up
and wide awake.

At the trial they said
just the opposite.

Well they were wrong
and here's the proof.

Sergeant Brill, I smell trouble.

Well take a look at the
downward angle of these streaks.

Unless the blood flow originated

well above the mattress, it
never would've hit the wall

at such a steep downward angle.

So that's why you're
saying he was awake?

Yeah! Well figure it out.

How could a man sleep
three feet above a mattress,

unless he was levitating.

Now wait a minute, Quincy.
Before you go off half-cocked,

now I think you oughtta
look at the case file.

Now they have enough
circumstantial evidence

to convict a choir boy.

Never mind that! Do you
have a lawyer's name?

- Right on top.
- Oh let me have it, will ya.

Thank you.

What would I do without
you two sweeties?

I don't like it when
he's nice like that.

It makes me nervous.

Just give your landlord this.

It explains why he can't
raise the rent that high.

If he won't listen, call me.

I'm Doctor Quincy. I'm
from the Coroner's Office.

Cassie Spencer.

Your Victoria Sawyer's lawyer?

Yes. I am now.

I wasn't when it counted.

She had a high-price firm
defending her in the trial,

if you could call their
bungling a defense.

Then you must've
come into it on appeal.

That's right.

We tried to get it overturned
on procedural grounds.

I knew we didn't
have a leg to stand on,

but I would've done
anything to get her off.

You make it sound
like a personal matter.

Doctor Quincy, I've known
Victoria since I was a kid.

My father cleaned pine needles

out of their pool twice
a week for ten years.

She took an interest in me.

She believed in me
when nobody else did.

And I believe in her.

She is innocent, Doctor.

Well, from what I read,
she had a pretty spotty past.

All those scandals.

If you classify an honest
love affair as a scandal, yes.

I mean, what are we
really talking about?

Victoria Sawyer is
guilty of having money

and being envied, not murder!

She had less of a shot
at an impartial hearing

than the poorest
derelict on skid row.

You make it sound like
almost reverse prejudice.

That's exactly what it was!

I think I've uncovered some
new evidence in her case.

What kind of evidence?

Will you take me to see her?

She's been through so much.

The trial, the publicity,

six years in prison.

To raise her hopes now...

Ms. Spencer, if I didn't think I
could help, I wouldn't be here.

Okay.

She's quite a woman, Doctor.

I think you'll be
pleasantly surprised.

You didn't mention you were
going to bring anybody else.

Victoria, this is Doctor Quincy.

He's from the Coroner's
Office in Los Angeles.

He thinks that he can help you.

- Oh?
- How do you do?

Won't you give me a chance?

Doctor, I put my faith in a jury

and a battery of very
expensive lawyers.

I even had truth on
my side and here I am.

Now I don't mean to be rude,

but if I had any faith left,

I don't think I could
give it to a stranger.

I'd like to try to earn it.

How?

On the way up, I asked
Cassie if blood splatter evidence

had been introduced
at your trial.

And I told him it
had only been used

to show that Harland
had been shot from behind.

That, and

the business about the
blood on my housecoat.

But no experts? No one
to testify on your behalf?

- No.
- Well, I could understand

why the prosecution
would want to avoid it.

They don't want
to blow their case.

But your defense,
your lawyers...

Dr. I've learned a
lot of people are here

because their
lawyers didn't know

how to handle their case.

Would you mind telling me
what happened that night?

Maybe you oughtta wait and
see this movie they're making.

I understand they have
answers for everything.

I'd rather hear it from you.

You won't believe it.

It's so incredible.

Vicki, please.

It was Sunday.

Harland and I had
had a late dinner

and we were still having coffee
when the front doorbell rang.

Harland went to answer it.

When he came back, he
had these two men with him.

They had stockings
over their faces

and they both had guns.

One of them took Harland
upstairs. The other one, the tall one,

took me into the kitchen and
had me make hot chocolate.

That's when I noticed his hands,

and the scars, like snakes,

ugly intertwining snakes.

He had me make the hot
chocolate but he never touched it.

He just took a can of soup
and put it in his coat pocket.

Then he took me
downstairs to the basement,

scared out of my mind.

But he never touched me,

he just took my
housecoat and went away.

He came back in a few minutes,

and had our wedding picture
from the upstairs bedroom.

He made me step on it

and then he took it
away, broken glass and all.

The police found the housecoat
under the basement furnace.

It had blood on it, and it
was wrapped around the cash

and the jewels
that had been taken

from the bedroom.

They said I hid it.

That I tried to make it look like
Harland was killed in a robbery.

Well how'd you get out?

They never locked
the basement door.

I managed to slip out and
head for the Newlands' house.

I met Jason on the
way with his shotgun.

He said he heard a shot.

We came back to the house

and that's when
we found Harland.

And you never heard the shot?

I told you it was incredible.

That's not incredible to me.

What is incredible is
that you were convicted

on such circumstantial evidence.

With your permission, I'd
like to petition for a new trial.

Doctor, I used
to love to garden.

The warm soft earth
beneath my hands.

I haven't seen a
flower for six years

or been allowed the simple
privilege of opening a door.

I've been watched

in every private
moment of my life.

I've had to fight off the attentions
of members of my own sex.

I've been beaten because of it.

Once I nearly died.

In eight months I
come up for parole.

I already have this
movie calling me a killer

and some people are against me

simply because I happen
to have been born wealthy.

If you open all this up now,

and you're wrong, I
won't have a chance.

If that happens,

I think I will find a way
to take my own life.

Because it won't
be worth living.

Not here, not like this.

Then we won't lose.

I have enough evidence
to knock that D.A.

right out of his chair.

Is that it? Is that all you got?

Is that all? What do you want?

At the trial you
said he was asleep

with his head on the pillow.

I've just proven that he
was awake and sitting up

when he was shot.
And everything I've said

is based in science.

All right, let's say, for
the sake of argument,

that he was awake. So what?

That doesn't prove
Victoria didn't shoot him.

Your whole case was based on
purely circumstantial evidence.

This changes a big
piece of that evidence.

You're kidding yourselves.

No judge'll ever reopen

with anything as
conjectural as that.

Then what's it gonna take?

Evidence. Real hard evidence.

Look,

if you two are determined
to have your heads

handed to you, fine...

I'll arrange for access to the
exhibits from the original trial.

But, let me warn you.

If you fail to get it reopened,

it could seriously jeopardize
her chances for parole.

Where've you been?

Burroughs has
been busting a gut.

BURROUGHS: Quiet,
on the set. We're rolling!

Stand up slowly.

Lower the gun.

Nice. Come around
to the picture.

Pick it up.

Look at it.

Drop the picture.

Peel off the gloves.

Throw 'em down.

Stamp on the picture.

Go to the jewelry.

Take the jewelry.

Go to the mirror.

Look in the mirror.

Look at the blood.

Look at your eyes.
Take off the robe.

Rip it off!

Roll it up.

Exit.

Cut. That's it!

So, how'd it go?

Well, you're assuming
it happened this way.

I don't agree with you.

You were terrific!

Kimberly, you're getting to
be a regular Lady Macbeth.

Now you go freshen
your makeup, okay.

It wasn't my assumption

and it didn't start
with a writer either.

It started with a jury and it
ended with two lost appeals.

I didn't pronounce
sentence on Victoria Sawyer.

The way you're slanting
this picture, you could be.

Oh, I see! This is all a
preposterous assumption!

You're expecting me to believe
that two marauders materialized,

and before
disappearing into thin air,

they killed Sawyer

and put Mrs. Sawyer into
an unlocked basement,

walking away with a
can of vegetable soup,

leaving behind money
and a fistful of jewelry.

Mr. Burroughs,

in my line of work
when a body comes in,

there's always a story.
You would call it a script.

Usually it's pretty routine,

man gets drunk, he
hits a telephone pole.

A despondent widow writes a
note, she jumps off the fortieth floor.

But sometimes, just sometimes,

it's like crossing over to the
other side of the looking glass.

And it appears to be one thing,

but it turns out to be another.

But what we're doing here

was settled in a
courtroom six years ago.

In other words you don't want me

to ask any more questions?

No I want you to
keep asking questions!

But pertinent questions.

After all, this is a very
expensive production

we're shooting here.
We've got a schedule

and my reputation
is on the line.

So is a woman's life.

Okay, new deal.

Close-up on the
jewelry in the drawer.

What's the trouble, Doc?

You look like you've been
trampled by a herd of Astens.

What I need is a crime scene
the doesn't exist anymore.

- That a picture of it?
- Yeah.

I need to do a reconstruction

based on a bullet
hole and blood splatter.

Good resolution.

Large format negative.

Heck, I could blow these up
and give you the whole wall,

big as life.

- You could?
- Sure.

All I need is a
reference for scale.

You know, like the tracing
of the original wallpaper.

Well you keep
your fingers crossed.

I'll get you more
than a tracing.

- Get yourself set up.
- You got it.

- There you are.
- Well, if it isn't
sleeping beauty...

Listen, the wallpaper
in the bedroom.

Do you have an extra piece?

There's a whole roll over
there by the coffee machine.

Help yourself.

Say, you gonna
wallpaper the morgue?

It would cheer up things
a bit, don't you think?

We raise it like this,
so that the image

coincides with the pattern

on the wall paper, right there.

Now you're positive the
print'll be the actual size

of the splatter?

If the wallpapers the same size,
the splatter'll be the same size.

A dozen more like this,

and we'll have the
whole wall reconstructed.

That's terrific, Ed.

Then we can go back
to the crime scene

and reconstruct the murder.

Right.

Boy, did I have a tough
time finding a mannequin

with the same size
skull as Harland's.

Is this all the evidence
the D.A. promised us?

No, actually I picked it
all up at a garage sale.

Okay, what's the matter?

I tried calling you
a few minutes ago.

They said to try
you at the studio.

I see.

- I thought you would.
- Look, let me explain...

Look, I don't mind being used,

but I don't understand how
you could do it to Victoria.

What are you really looking for?

A new twist?

Some kind of dramatic ending

that'll make the movie
gross an extra million dollars?

Oh, I don't care about
that movie and you know it!

Listen, if it wasn't
for the movie,

I never would've found
out about the blood splatter.

I believe that
Victoria is innocent.

I mean I believe that from
the bottom of my heart.

Now with you or without
you I'm gonna try to prove it.

That's the house.

Who did you say
was living there now?

Harland's nephew, Kit Sawyer.

According to Victoria,
he's an aspiring comic.

And that's the Newlands' house.

The neighbors who
discovered the body?

Uh-huh, although
from what I understand,

Mrs. Newland
discovered Sawyer's body

a couple of years
before he died.

They were having an affair?

They tell me Harland's
little black book

was the Beverly Hills directory.

KIT: (ON TAPE RECORDER) talk
about old, she knew Madame Butterfly

when she was a caterpillar.

She claims she just turned 30...

Looks like your friend's
had too much to drink, huh?

If you've got a minute,

I'd just like to try
something out here.

Well, we're in an awful hurry.

I know, I know, but I'm
playing the Gag Gulch tonight,

and I just need
a little rehearsal.

First time in front
of a live audience.

Just sit down one minute.

Good evening
ladies and gentlemen.

Welcome to the Gag Gulch.

I'd like to welcome
this trio in the front row,

bring a round of drinks.
And pour one down his skull.

This is great, the guy's sitting
here with a hole in his head.

You know, I personally came
from a tough neighborhood.

I tell you, talk about tough.

A cat with a tail was a tourist.

It was tough. You people
having a good time?

I mean you're just
sitting there like a mural.

It's like I'm looking at a
fresco here, what's going on?

You people... You are an English
speaking audience, aren't you?

I feel like the cruise director
on the Titanic, please.

Uh, Kit... I hate to interrupt

but we really gotta get started.

Yes we do... Okay,
we can get back to this.

Very nice, very
nice, good material...

Kit, maybe it'd be easier for
you if you waited downstairs.

Hey, if I'm not in the way,

I'd just as soon stay
and see the whole show.

I have to hand it to
the movie company,

they did a terrific job
duplicating this room.

When I first moved in, I had
the place cleaned, painted over.

Three coats. That's
what it took to cover it.

Well let's get the
wallpaper back on.

Thank you, Kit.

Here come the Newlands.

I told 'em what you were
doing and they offered to help.

- Mind if I bring 'em up?
- It's your house.

See...

It's drilled to match the
exit and entry wounds

from the autopsy report.

And this dowel will give us
the trajectory of the bullet.

- That's pretty ingenious.
- We aim to please.

Cassie Spencer, Doctor Quincy.
This is Mr. and Mrs. Newlands.

- Hello.
- Hi.

We've met, years ago,
around the time of the trial.

We didn't mean to interrupt.

But if there is anything
at all we can do...

Yeah. We've always felt that
Vicki got a fast shuffle in court.

Neither of you've remembered
anything since, have you?

Something that
might shed new light?

Just what Victoria told us.

Cassie, if gut feelings
were admissible,

she wouldn't be
in prison right now.

Is this the ahhh...

The new evidence Kit
was telling us about?

You might say it's a new
way of looking at old evidence.

Ah...

Is it permitted to ask exactly
what it is you're doing, Doctor?

Well, I'm about to prove
that Victoria was too short

to have shot her husband.

Looks like you're about
to string us all along, Doc.

That's very good, Kit.

The string is important.

It represents the path the
blood splatters followed.

Now if it has to be
bent around something

to get to a blood splatter,

that means your head is
not in the right position yet.

Somewhere in line with
this doll was the victim's head

and the gun barrel.

And everything proves out.

This is the only position
that could possibly account

for the blood pattern on the bed

and the downward
streaks on the wall.

Mr. Newlands,

when you found the body,
did you touch anything,

move anything on the bed at all?

No, when I saw
Harland lying there,

I never even
walked in. I couldn't.

That's what I figured.
Nothing was touched.

Aim the gun, will ya.

No, no dear. Excuse me. No see,

because of the small
amount of powder residue

on the back of the victims head,

the gun was about at
least eighteen inches away.

You're about as tall
as Victoria aren't you?

Yeah, just about the same.

Look how far your arm
is above your line of sight.

Nobody could
possibly fire like that.

Fascinating.

Yes it is.

Because now we know
whoever fired that shot

was at least twelve inches
taller than Victoria Sawyer.

It's me. Hetch.

You seen today's paper?

That's right.

Who the hell knows
what they come up with?

Look, this is it. I want
one more payment.

I want one more
payment, forty thousand,

and a first class
ticket to Amsterdam.

I'm not that happy about
being seen with you either.

So bring the forty, and
don't forget the ticket.

Or else, my memory
is gonna get so sharp,

you'll be absolutely amazed.

Sam, here's the rest of the
stuff Quincy needs for court.

Oh good. I put the
charts in his office.

Lab. Fujiyama. Doctor Quincy?

Uh, no. Can I take a message?

Oh, okay. I'll tell him.

Channel six. You're
becoming a celebrity.

All they wanna do is keep
raking that poor woman

over the coals.
Keep saying I'm out.

I don't wanna talk
to another reporter.

Boy, I wish I had
the same luxury.

You better get
over to that hearing.

Do you know how many
calls I've gotten today

on this Sawyer thing? Two?

- Two!
- More like ten!

And they all get around
to the same question.

- What's that?
- Is there any connection

between Dr. Quincy
being a technical advisor

on the film and his stirring
up the Sawyer case?

They think it's
a publicity stunt.

So, what'd you tell them?

You won't find my quotes
in any family newspaper.

- I owe you one...
- Quincy, listen,

just tighten up your tie,

get over there
and give it to 'em.

Thanks, guys. I'll see
you when it's all over.

Now listen, Quince. I
want you to be careful.

I heard the D.A. has some
heavyweight splatter expert

who's gonna try
and shoot you down.

I'm wearing a
bullet-proof vest...

- Be relaxed above all...
- I'm late...

I want you to hear the questions
carefully before you give an answer.

You're the best
expert we have...

Don't be nervous. Quincy!

He never listens.

The defense will rely primarily
on the expert testimony

of one of the foremost authorities
in blood splatter analysis,

as well as a
widely recognized...

The court is already well versed

in Doctor Quincy's credentials.

What we would like to know is,

where the hell is he?

Your Honor, I'm
terribly sorry I'm late.

I got stuck in an elevator
with three pregnant women.

Save your testimony
for the stand.

If we try this judge's
patience any further,

we're gonna blow our
case right through the roof.

Well, she fainted,
she was pregnant.

What else was I to do?

Well, the simplest
way I can put it is,

you should think of the blood
splatter as something of a signature

to a violent death.

Each one is unique to
the precise circumstances.

What were you able to conclude

from the photographs of
the splatter in this case?

If the victim had been asleep,

with his head on the pillow.

And the gun had
been fired from here,

as was testified in her trial,

the blood splatter would
not be that high on the wall.

And the nearest streaks
would be parallel to the floor,

not angling down as these do.

What does the splatter
tell you did happen?

Well, the diagram
pretty well tells the story.

He was not asleep with
his head on the pillow.

The victim was
sitting up on the bed

with his head in that position.

Now from the pattern
of blood on the right arm,

we know that his hand
was raised to his face,

as if he were flinching
from something

- or to ward off a blow.
- Objection, Your Honor.

How can the Doctor possibly know

why the man's head was raised?

Sustained.

Confine yourself to facts
you can substantiate.

What about the position
of the murder weapon?

Well, from our analysis,
using a mannequin,

the gun was here.

Well above

the line of sight of a woman
of Victoria Sawyer's height.

Now whoever pulled the trigger

was twelve to
fourteen inches taller.

Then, in your opinion,

Victoria Sawyer
didn't pull the trigger,

couldn't have
because of her height

and is not guilty of
killing her husband?

That's my opinion, yes.

Thank you, Doctor Quincy.

I have no more questions.

Your witness council.

Ah, no questions, Your Honor.

Thank you, Doctor.
You may step down.

Doctor, would you kindly
tell us your credentials.

I'm a medical doctor with
eleven years' experience

in Forensic Pathology.

How much can he hurt us?

I don't know. He's
a hired forensic gun.

He won't lie, but I've seen
them bend the truth like a willow.

Doctor Morgan,

would you also please tell
us how you got your results?

I reconstructed the crime

accordingly to the
patterns of blood splatter

much the same as Doctor Quincy.

And how did your analysis
compare with Dr. Quincy's findings?

First off, there is no doubt

that the victim's head was
well above the mattress.

Then you agree with Dr. Quincy?

I agree that the
victim did not have

his head down on the pillow.

But when the height of
the head is determined,

it is only an approximation.

Now, if Dr. Quincy's
approximations

were only three inches too tall.

In other words, the
victims head was lower.

As you can see,
this would translate

to an assailant 6
to 8 inches shorter.

As much as that?

Oh, he's talking about six
inches, I'm talking about fourteen.

The height of the weapon
may vary for other reasons also.

If the shooter were inexperienced,
she might hold the weapon...

Objection.

Your Honor! I object to
his assumption of gender!

Sustained.

If the shooter were
inexperienced, he

or she might hold
the weapon like this.

With both hands,
close to the body.

Now this would
increase the angle,

making the assailant
appear taller.

And of course,

there is an even
simpler explanation.

The person who
shot Harland Sawyer

could've been
wearing high heels.

If you were in a nightgown,

why would you be
wearing high heels?

This guy isn't even
talking scientifically now.

He's making assumptions
way outside his field of expertise.

In your expert
opinion, then, Doctor,

could a woman of
Victoria Sawyer's height

have fired the fatal shot?

In my opinion,
yes. It is possible.

Thank you. No more
questions, Your Honor.

Do you wish to cross examine?

Let's talk first.

Your Honor, I have no
questions at this time,

however, I reserve the
right to recall the witness.

This hearing is
adjourned until 2:00 p.m.

This forensic gangster
with his half truths

is gonna bury us,

now we've gotta dazzle
that judge with footwork.

Can you get him to
the scene of the crime

so we can play this
whole thing out for him?

Well, he's not exactly Santa
Claus, but it's worth a try.

What happened?

You're not gonna believe this.

I talked to Judge Simon,

he thought it was
a brilliant idea.

- He bought the whole thing.
- Why aren't you smiling?

I didn't see Kit.

I called him at home
from the judge's chambers

to make arrangements.

The fire department answered.

They'd just put out a fire

that gutted the entire
master bedroom.

Gutted. What about
the cross examination?

I talked to Judge Simon, I
gave him your arguments.

He said not to waste our time.

Be seated please.

I needn't remind you that
the presumption of innocence

is the cornerstone
of our judicial system.

However, once an
individual is convicted,

the onus shifts to the defense,

guilty until proven
innocent as it were.

I'm not gonna keep
you in suspense.

I find the evidence presented,

insufficient to reopen.

Motion for a new
trial is denied.

Ms. Sawyer is remanded to the
custody of the sergeant at arms.

Court is adjourned.

Quincy, did you get that
message about Burroughs calling?

- Who?
- The movie director.

Their ready for the last
scene, they need you.

To do what, bury that woman

more than I've
already buried her?

Now listen, you did
everything you could.

It was the judge's
decision, not yours.

I was so sure I had
enough proof to get her off.

Then with that forensic phony
and that hard-nosed judge,

we didn't have a chance.

You have to let it go.

How do I do that?

How do I play God with a
woman's life and let it go.

- Good night, Pete.
- Good night, Doctor Quincy.

Pete, I've got that
John Doe's file.

Tell Eddie to take some
pictures of his hands right away.

I'll be up in my office.
I've gotta make some calls.

Right away, Doctor Quincy.

Victoria, I don't blame you

for feeling the way
you do about me.

But, please, I'm begging
you, take a look at this picture.

No! No more.

I don't want to
see what you have.

I don't want to hear
anything you have to say.

I think this is the
hand of the man

who put you in the
basement. Please,

take a look at the picture!

Please.

It's him.

It's him.

It's him.

You want my honest
opinion, Quincy.

I think you're a
nice, bright fellow

who's got his head stuck in
a bucketful of compassion.

I mean, what did you
expect the woman to say?

After she was
blasted out of court?

No, they're not the same
scars I saw six years ago

in the pale light of
a basement. C'mon,

who are we kidding?

I know you're wrong,
I just can't prove it.

What the hell you
got on your shoe?

Oh, I stepped on some
fuller's earth from the set.

Is there any footprint
evidence in the Sawyer case?

Best of my knowledge,
there was no makeable prints

inside or out.

- How about on the carpet?
- Blood.

As a matter of fact, we
took the carpet as evidence.

But we didn't
use it in the trial.

Was dark brown like this.
Didn't show a helluva lot.

You still have it?

- Sure. In storage.
- Can I get it now?

I mean, now?

Why?

Ah... On second thought,
I withdraw the question.

It looks promising, Quincy.

Your John Doe with the scars
was shot in a lumber yard.

There was a lot of
fine dirt on the ground.

We got some very nice
footprints on the assailant.

Oh Brill, whatever
you did before...

You've more than
made up for it now. Oooh.

Again with the cheek.

Hi. Listen, can I talk to you?

Quincy, I was afraid you'd
fallen asleep at the wheel.

Where the devil have you been?

Trying to get you a good
ending for your picture.

What, are you crazy?
I've held up production

for two days waiting to see
how the appeal came out.

I'm going with
my original ending.

But it's not the right ending!

You lost the appeal didn't you?

Yeah, but there wrong! Listen,
give me twenty-four hours

and I'll give you an ending
nobody'll walk out on. I promise you.

We can't wait! I've had
the entire company holding

it's breath for two days!
When they finally exhale,

it's gonna cost the studio
thirty thousand dollars!

Just twenty-four hours
to pull everything together!

The guys with the
adding machines

are already after my scalp.

Oh, don't worry about them.

There the guys that'll be
carrying on their shoulders

when you pull this thing off.

This could be a very
important picture.

You'll be up there with John
Ford with George Stevens.

You could even win an
academy award with this!

- You're stroking me...
- A little bit,

but I'm not lyin', honest.

Twenty-four hours, one
day, not a minute more.

Oh, thank you. You
can start making room

on your mantle for that Oscar.

Here's what I want you to do...

(PHONE RINGS)

Yes? Yes.

Uh-huh.

Well, it would be a
bit inconvenient for me.

I'm just on my way to work.

I see.

Well if it's that important
I guess we could do it.

Right. Good bye.

Who was that?

The director of that film

they're making
about the Sawyers.

They're sending
a limousine for us.

He wants us to come
down to the studio

and advise him on a scene.

Now I know these delays
haven't been easy on any of us.

But I think I can say,
with some assurance,

that we'll all be able
to wrap pretty soon.

I've asked our technical
advisor, Doctor Quincy,

to give us a definitive
explanation of the murder,

based on some, ah,

startling new evidence. Doctor?

Thank you.

But instead of talking, I
thought it would be more effective

if we dramatized it.

So with your indulgence, Sam,
would you help me out, be the victim?

- Sure.
- Right in
the middle of the bed there.

And I need a murderer.

Lieutenant Monahan, d'you mind?

Well as long as no one
accuses you of type-casting.

I want you to get
on those marks.

Now, the second man
was standing right there.

Mr. Newlands, would
you help us out, please?

Oh sure, excuse me darling.

If there was a second man...

Thank you.

Oh Lieutenant,
I'm awfully sorry,

but you see you're
too short for the part.

It's the only size I come in.

Sorry, thank you very much.

We need somebody taller...

Kit, why don't you come
down and give us a hand.

All the years of
struggling have paid off,

I've been discovered!

I'll help my aunt, Doctor
Quincy, any way I can.

Okay, stand on those marks,

don't reveal the
gun until I tell you.

All right, we're all ready.

Now please listen
and try to do everything

exactly the way I tell you.

Mr. Newlands hold that
gun threateningly at Sam.

Sam, try to shield your
face with your right hand...

Pull the gun and
shoot Sam immediately!

Fall!

That's it. May I
have the gun, please.

Would you take this gown, sir,

lie it right there on the floor.

Now, dip your
hands in the blood...

Oh, it's only colored
syrup, please...

Take more.

Now would you shake it
lightly over there please,

right over the housecoat.
More over there.

Down there. Thank
you, very much.

You'll notice the droplets
have a circular pattern.

Just like the stains on
Victoria Sawyer's housecoat.

If they had been back-splatter,
as the prosecution contended,

we would see streaks not
the circular drops, like these.

Now we know how the
blood got on her coat.

It was put there deliberately.

I still don't know
how you even know

there was a second man.

Could I have the
black lights, please?

Kill the lights, give me UVs!

This is a part of the actual rug

from the Sawyer bedroom.

I got it out of storage
from the D.A.'s office.

We've sprayed it with luminol

which makes the bloodstain
fluorescent under ultra-violet light.

This is where the
blood ran off the bed.

The second person
was standing here,

when the gun was fired.

That's why there's
no blood directly

under or behind the footprints.

Notice, they're not
just any footprints.

See how round and
wide the footprint is?

They were made by someone

with a special shoe

designed for an abnormal foot.

(SCOFFS)

You're insane!

Lights!

These unusual footprints

also showed up recently at
another place, a lumber yard.

At the scene of a murder.

The victim had
badly scarred hands.

The same scarred hands
that killed Harland Sawyer.

Darling,

you don't have to say
another word to these people

not until we've
spoken to a lawyer.

No, this is madness!

I had nothing to do
with Harland's murder!

Those couldn't be my prints.
I wasn't even in the room!

I know you didn't.

I also know you weren't
at the lumber yard.

But your shoes were.

Who... Who could've done it?

Someone who had easy
access to your clothes.

Someone who had a
reason to kill Harland,

someone who had
reason to put on a disguise

and kill the man who
threatened to uncork the secret.

I noticed that you cleaned
your fingers on the towel

after you acted
out the splattering.

The killer's accomplice, the
one with the special shoes,

did the same thing
on the rug there.

Lights!

Now this is where
the side of the finger

was wiped on the rug.

This is the fingertip,

this curve is the nail.

The nail is at least
a half inch long.

Lights!

A woman's nails.

That's utterly absurd.

Mr. Newlands,

I'd like to take you back
to the night of the murder.

The night you heard that shot.

Did you actually hear that shot?

Or did your wife wake you up
and tell you she heard the shot?

After she got back
into her nightgown.

Tell them, Jason.

For god sakes, tell
them! You heard the shot!

Tell them!

I've got a warrant for
your arrest, ma'am.

We're charging you for the
murder of Harland Sawyer.

What an ending.

(MUMBLES)

Oh, am I glad you're
pouring the champagne.

I'm sorry, this
meeting was long.

Well, when you order,

it must be a humongous occasion.

That screening
must've been dynamite.

I think you're gonna like
the picture. It really is good.

They've softened
your role quite a bit

and they used the
last scene to show

how easily an injustice
like this can occur.

Anyway, we're not here
to drink to a screening,

we're drinking to freedom.

And to new friends.

What'd the D.A. say?

He joined us in our
motion for a new trial.

And we've got enough
evidence against Mrs. Newlands.

- I wouldn't worry.
- Good.

Hey you know, they really
put a rush on that movie.

I can't believe
they cut it already.

Well they wanna take
advantage of the publicity.

They only have to
rewrite the last scene.

Oh, is that what the director
was talking to you about?

Well, you see, he understands
what an important part

the medical examiner
played in the picture.

So, he's writing a part for me.

What's so funny?

What do you know about acting?

When I was in my
college drama club,

we did the Christmas
Carol every year.

I played the same
part every year.

What are you talking about.

- Yeah, Scrooge.
- Not Scrooge!

That was the lead. The guy who
played that's on Broadway right now.

- EDDIE: I know, Bob Cratchit.
- It wasn't Bob Cratchit!

No. It was an important part,
I'm tellin' ya, it was... It was...

It was the guy who
delivered the turkey.