Quincy M.E. (1976–1983): Season 7, Episode 20 - Expert in Murder - full transcript

You can't risk blowing the
case on an autopsy done by me.

They just knocked off half their
case against Victor Ramsey.

And you know who
the other half is?

If the State has a case against Victor
Ramsey, they ought to be able to prove it.

I'll stake my reputation
on my findings.

You might have
hung an innocent man.

I suppose it's possible.

Our star witness has been
demoted to a bit player.

I was set up. I was framed.

You weren't satisfied just
losing your good name.

Now you're gonna lose your life.



Gentlemen, you
are about to enter

the most fascinating
sphere of police work,

the world of forensic medicine.

Mom made me promise to ask if
you are getting fresh fruit every day.

You tell her, yes, I'm fine.

I could knock off a
couple of pounds anyway.

There's no incentive
like prison food.

They set the court
date today, this morning.

Yeah, eighth of
next month. I heard.

Your lawyers don't exactly
inspire me with confidence.

I wish I was
defending you myself.

I told you, Joey,

I don't want you
dragged in to this.

Whose turf are we on?



The judge's name is Weinecke.

I think we're in pretty
good shape with this guy.

He's no hanging judge.

Weinecke?

Well, he's up for re-election
next month, isn't he?

Yeah, I think he is. Why?

Could be trouble.

This trial would
get a lot of publicity.

Maybe he's gonna try to
balance his books at my expense.

Better off with a hardliner.

Dad, I wouldn't worry
too much about the trial.

"Dad, I wouldn't worry
too much about the trial."

That's what you said
about the grand jury.

When you said that I
would never get the trial.

This is different.

I've got a very strong feeling
that D.A.'s case is gonna fall apart.

Like a house of cards.

How?

How is that gonna happen?

Unless,

Mevenda changes,

changes his story.

Or doesn't testify.

Bless you, Joey.

Bless you.

What about the coroner?

The coroner, he's still
calling me a murderer.

I wouldn't worry
about him either, Dad.

Like Ma says,

you eat right, you
got to stay strong.

You're gonna be back to home
cooking before you know it.

From your lips,

to Gods ears.

Dr. Asten.

Sorry to keep you waiting, Sal.

That's all right, Quincy, waiting is an art
when you're part of the judicial system.

Well, you can finally mark your
calendar on the Ramsey case.

We got a court date?

The State versus Victor Ramsey
premiers the eighth of next month.

Yeah, you don't seem
very happy about it.

Quincy, when you're going up against
a man as powerful as Victor Ramsey

you want to make sure
all your ducks are in a row.

Are you calling me a quack?

But don't be surprised
if the defense does.

Quincy, this isn't as iron
clad as you'd like to think it is.

We've still got
to convince a jury

that Victor Ramsey murdered Gabriel
Pratt by literally scaring him to death.

Now, you talk about hard sell.

The man I autopsied had
a heart like a young stallion!

What killed him was being subjected
to the worst kind of inhuman terror!

Ramsey held a gun to his
head and he fired a blank.

The gunshot residue and the
perforated eardrum prove that.

So say you.

But Quincy is not
your only witness.

You have a man who saw Ramsey
psychologically torture his victim.

He saw him point one gun after
another at Pratt and pull the trigger.

Only our witness is Jake Mevenda,
not exactly a boy scout himself.

But even if he was the
world's most credible witness,

it's still a long way from proving that the
click of the hammer in an unloaded gun,

or even the firing of a blank is
enough to scare someone to death.

Nope. It all comes down
to Quincy's testimony.

So the case is, whether
Pratt had a heart attack

while being questioned by
Ramsey, as the defense will claim

or did Ramsey actually frighten
him to death as Quincy will claim?

Exactly.

Not claim. I'll prove it.

Now you're going to tell me
this is purely a matter of science.

Not purely, but 75
percent science.

What about the other 25 percent?

The last seventeen years on the job.
I'll stake my reputation on my findings.

Yes, you will.

We both will.

You know, you always
were a crepe hanger?

I'll go mark my calendar.

What do you think? Has
he got the goods or not?

If he says he can prove
your case, he can prove it.

I learned a long time ago
not to underestimate Quincy.

And if I've learned
anything in my job,

it's not to underestimate
a man like Ramsey.

You know I think I'm
gonna like this office.

Is the furniture yours
or does it go along?

You haven't been elected yet.

But that's only a
matter of weeks.

You know, if I were you,

I'd seriously consider
withdrawing from the race

before the voters do it for you.

You're a relic.

You're gathering dust.

It's time to step aside and let
some new blood in to the system.

If it were anyone else's
new blood, I might consider it.

No Ross, I care too much
about the people who elected me

to feed them to
a shark like you.

Still, I think that if you take a look
at the latest poll I commissioned,

you'd realize that your constituents
are abandoning you in droves.

And guess who
they're flocking to?

It's only fair. You
paid for the poll.

You can't laugh it away.

This is the worst possible climate
for a judge who is soft on crime.

Soft on crime?

I've sent enough dangerous
criminals away to fill a prison.

Talking about political climate,

aren't you forgetting
who is about to try

one of the biggest crime
figures in the country,

right around election time?

Going after a mobster
like Ramsey is one thing.

Getting him is another.

Hello, this is Detective
Sutrow from Central Division.

Can you tell me
who's on call tonight?

Evening Detective,
hang on a second.

Here we go.

Doctor McCallum
and Doctor Quincy.

Thank you much.

Well?

We move tonight.

Good evening, Mr. Mevenda.
Your table is waiting.

Enjoy your dinner.

I come here
practically every night.

I live on this food.

Especially the hot dishes.

- The parakeet is stuck.
- Very funny.

Hope it doesn't
spoil your evening.

You hope? I've been looking
forward to a good night's sleep.

Dr. Quincy.

Sorry to disturb
you, Doctor Quincy.

We've got a murder in Chinatown.

Isn't McCallum on call
too? He's a lot closer.

I tried him. His phone's out.

All right, give me the address.

Okay.

Better get some close-ups of the
blood splatter on the back of the booth.

Okay, Quince.

We found the stocking he wore
over his face, he dropped it outside.

Looks like there's
some blood on it

and if I'm not mistaken,
a small piece of skin.

I wouldn't be surprised,
the guy back there said,

he hit him so hard, he
made him drop the gun.

I just called in on the
registration for that gun.

It belongs to a Wayne Miles.

We better check
him out, right away.

You okay, Quincy?

Yeah, that guy.

I know I've seen that victim
before, I just can't place where.

Does Jake Mevenda ring a bell?

Mevenda?

Mevenda?

The guy who squealed on
Ramsey, the grand jury indictment.

Right.

You realize what
this means, Quincy?

This was as carefully planned
as a Dallas Cowboy drive.

They just knocked off half the
case against Victor Ramsey!

And you know who
the other half is?

There was just enough
blood on that stocking

he used as a mask,
for us to analyze it.

We're looking for
someone with type A blood,

along with six other blood group
characteristics we've nailed down.

Lieutenant. Quince.

I just got finished talking to Wayne
Miles, the guy who owned that gun.

He says he didn't even realize
it was missing 'til he looked.

He claims it was stolen.

Any reason not
to disbelieve him?

Maybe it's a weird coincidence,
but he had a bandage on his chin.

Right where that witness
said he decked the murderer.

- Oh, boy.
- We can't waste
any time, Lieutenant.

What do you need, Quincy?

A blood sample from Miles.

And tell Eddie I want nice fat close-up
of whatever's under that bandage.

So I can compare it to the skin
fragment I found on the stocking.

Let's go, Sergeant.

Keep your head back
and your chin to the right.

What's with all these pictures? I
thought you just wanted a blood sample.

If you don't mind, it'll
help our investigation.

Let's just get it over with.

All done, Lieutenant.

Thank you, Mr. Miles.

All six of those blood groups we found
on that stocking match Wayne Miles' blood.

I'm not surprised. Take a look.

The skin fragment fits his
wound like a jigsaw puzzle.

I'll give Monahan a call.

Try down the hall, first. He
was in Doctor Asten's office.

- See you later.
- Okay.

If you wouldn't mind, Doctor
Asten, maybe you could tell Quincy

how dumb it is for him to turn
down the protection we offered him.

I'll do what I can, Frank. But you
know how stubborn he can get.

Yeah.

Well, talk of the devil, huh.

Yeah? What were you saying?

Everything nice.

I hope so, 'cause I got
your assassin for you.

- Then it was Miles.
- Yeah.

That blood sample you gave me matched
the blood on that stocking down the line.

Look at this.

Facial wound was as close to a perfect fit
for that skin fragment as you could get.

And don't forget the
gun belonged to him.

I guess we don't need much
more than that. Nice work, Quincy.

Yeah, not bad.

Mr. Miles, I'm
Lieutenant Monahan.

I believe you
know Sergeant Brill.

Mr. Miles.

Is this about my gun again?

I could file charges
for police harassment.

Look, I voluntarily gave you a blood
sample. What else do I have to do?

You have to come downtown.

I have a warrant.

We're placing you under arrest
for the murder of Jake Mevenda.

Is the prosecution ready to call its
first witness in the preliminary hearing?

Ready, Your Honor.

Proceed.

The State calls Doctor Quincy of the
Los Angeles County Coroner's office.

There was enough blood on the
stocking to let us hone in on a type.

And that type was that?

Type A.

And we also determined a
number of other subgroups.

I understood you tested
the defendant's blood as well.

- Is that correct?
- That's right.

- What type was that?
- Type A.

And the blood
characteristics also matched.

What about the wound
on the defendant's face?

Did you examine it closely?

Yes, I did. Both in
photographs and in the flesh.

And did you compare the
configuration of that wound

with the shape of the skin fragment
you found on the stocking in question?

Yes, I did.

And, what relationship,
if any, did you find?

I found the match
to be excellent.

It would appear that the skin came
from Mr. Miles' wound? Is that right?

That's correct.

Based on your vast experience
as a forensic pathologist,

would it be reasonable to
conclude that the skin fragment left

at the murder scene belonged
to Wayne Miles, the defendant?

In my opinion, it would be
unreasonable not to draw that conclusion.

Doctor Quincy,

your comparison between shapes
of the wound and skin fragment,

is that foolproof?

I wouldn't say foolproof.

Why not?

First of all, the skin I looked at didn't
cover the entire area of the wound,

but what portion it did cover,
matched almost perfectly.

Almost?

It's still to some degree,
a subjective judgment.

Thank you for reminding us.

I understand you requested a
sample of the defendant's blood.

- Yes, I did.
- And that

it was voluntarily supplied
to you by Mr. Miles.

Yes.

Now, I'm only
speaking hypothetically

but, isn't it possible, say if a
coroner got a little overzealous,

for him to take some of the blood
Mr. Miles provided, and use it to,

shall we say, enhance the blood
stains on that notorious silk stocking?

You Honor, I object!
That's inflammatory

and Defense Council knows it.

I don't mind
answering the question.

Of course, it's possible.

It's also unthinkable.

But, it is possible?

Yes.

The defense calls State
Senator, Howard Morganthal.

You know anything about this?

Not a thing.

Senator Morganthal, are you acquainted
with the defendant, Wayne Miles?

I am.

He's worked for a number
of highly respected lobbyists.

Senator, do you recall where you
were on Friday evening, May third,

at exactly 9:10 p.m.?

I was dining at the Highland
Sorrento Lodge in Seal Beach.

The question I'm about to ask
is an all important one, Senator.

Was anyone else in this room,
present with you at that restaurant?

Yes. Wayne Miles. He
was having dinner with me.

The whole evening?

From 7:00 till 10:30 or so.

Was anyone else present?

Only about seventy other people.

Is there any reason you or Mr. Miles
didn't tell the police before this?

Wayne didn't want
to embarrass me.

It's no secret that he had a
run-in with the law many years ago.

He was afraid it would hurt
me to acknowledge our dinner,

I couldn't sit back and watch an
innocent man, get railroaded in to prison.

Thank you, Senator Morganthal.

No further questions.

Mr. Angeletti, your witness.

No questions.

Your Honor, I move that all
charges against my client be dropped.

I'm going to grant your motion,
Counselor. With apologies to Mr. Miles.

Case is dismissed.

I thought you'd
gone home, Quincy.

What are you doing?

Oh, Quincy, you can't
let this thing eat you up.

I was so sure.

I was so sure my
evidence was irrefutable.

Well, one chance in
a million, maybe more.

It's incredible to think that
somebody's walking right now,

with the same cut, the
same blood type as Wayne.

I almost nailed an innocent man.

Quincy, you did your job,
based on the evidence at hand.

You can't blame yourself.

Maybe I was too eager.

Too cocky. And now I'm
getting my comeuppance.

I don't like what
I'm hearing, Quincy.

Medical examiners are sometimes cautious
to a fault when it comes to testifying.

You've always had the
courage of your convictions.

I like that.

I'd hate to see you lose that.

But the responsibilities
are so awesome.

One mistake, one misinterpreted
piece of evidence, look what happened.

You're human, that's all.

If all of us were perfect,

we wouldn't need
courts or coroners.

- I've got a great idea.
- What?

Why don't you pack it in.

Why don't you go
home and get some rest?

Come on.

You know, a good night's
sleep will do you a world of good.

Somehow, I get the feeling, not everyone
will see what happened at that hearing

as charitably as you.

Thanks.

This article is the
coup de grace.

Our star witness has been
demoted to a bit player.

You know, you've got some nerve!

- Well, you know...
- Quincy did his job,
that's all.

- I'm not...
- Sal, listen to me,

if I'd been presented with the same
evidence, I'd have been led astray too.

It could've happened
to any good coroner.

But it wasn't just any
coroner. It's Quincy.

The same Doctor Quincy
on whose shoulders

the State's case against
Victor Ramsey once rested.

- Once rested?
- Right!

You think this affects whether or not a
jury will believe him in the Ramsey trial?

I'd say his credibility was
dealt one hell of a blow.

Doctor Asten, listen,

proving Ramsey guilty of murder
depended on a lot of complicated forensics.

And without absolute confidence in
the competency of our expert witness,

they're not going to go for it.

Listen, I wanted to ask you.

Well, you know how I feel
about Quincy personally.

I was thinking of turning all his
material over to another expert.

No! No!

The evaluation of the heart
at the time of the autopsy

is the, is the opinion
that's most meaningful.

Then, there's no choice.

We move to dismiss the charges.

Your Honor, due to the
complexities in the State's case,

I just feel that a reasonable continuance
would be a good idea before we go to trial.

What's reasonable,
Mr. Angeletti?

Two, three months.

Mr. Castle?

Scientific
complexities? Come on.

This isn't the courtroom, Sal.

Everybody's cards
are on the table.

We're all well aware that
your case against my client

has suffered a grievous blow.

You're just trying to buy
some time to regroup.

And I'm telling
you it won't help.

Just because we want to
strengthen our arguments

doesn't mean we're
backing off our case.

Let's be honest.

Doctor Quincy here had a great fall,
which was nobody's fault but his own.

Why should Victor
Ramsey suffer for it?

He's entitled to a speedy trial.

As speedy as Gabriel Pratt's?

He was tried, convicted
and executed in one night.

With an unloaded gun?

Let's see you try
that out on a jury?

You seem to be in the eye of
the hurricane, Doctor Quincy.

How do you feel about a delay?

It would give me more time to look
in to the possibility of new evidence.

A fishing expedition
if I ever heard one.

It seems to me, if the State has
a case against Victor Ramsey,

they ought to be
able to prove it.

You've had more than enough
time to develop the evidence.

I think we should
stay on schedule

and resolve this thing as
expeditiously as possible.

So, if I move for a continuance?

I'll deny the motion.

That's fine with me.

See you in court, gentlemen.

Your Honor, the
way things stand now,

Dr. Quincy is all but
discredited as a witness.

I mean, after the press and the
TV coverage in the Miles case...

I hate to admit this,
but Castle was right.

The continuance would
be a fishing expedition.

Your Honor, I request dismissal.

- Dismissal?
- Yes.

Your Honor,

when we go to trial,

if he's found not
guilty, and he will be.

If I turn up any new incriminating
evidence against him in the future,

I won't be able to touch him
because of double jeopardy.

I appreciate your problem, gentlemen.
But I want you both to know something.

It's got nothing to do
with the merits of the case.

I requested the Ramsey trial.

Specifically requested it.

Now, if I grant you dismissal, it
would look as if I asked for the case,

just so I could
blow it out of court.

I also happen to be in a
battle for my political life.

I know that's not your concern,

but there's a lot more than
my political survival at stake.

I've got an opponent

who could do more harm to the
people I serve than a hundred Ramseys.

If I lose, so do they.

These are people with nothing
to protect them, but the law.

There's no turning back now.

If Ramsey is guilty
of murder as you say,

you still have three weeks to find
the evidence that'll convince a jury.

- Thank you.
- Thank you.

- Ray.
- Yeah.

This Pearson case, isn't that
the Lovers' Lane strangulation?

- Yeah.
- How come it's crossed out?

Doctor Sheridan
will be handling it.

You took me off it?

Doctor Asten did,
about ten minutes ago.

We picked up the guy about
a half mile from the scene.

Looks like she really bit his
arm good, before he got her.

I'll show this to
Doctor Sheridan.

He can start on the
comparisons and get all that...

Lieutenant.

Doctor Asten, I wanted to ask
you about the Pearson case.

The duty doctor said
you reassigned it.

Oh, that's right.

The Lieutenant and I
were just discussing it.

Is there a reason I
was taken off the case.

As a matter of fact there is.

Your court order
on that exhumation.

You know, the victim in the
Ramsey trial, it just came through.

I thought you'd want to
concentrate on the re-autopsy.

That could've
waited a few hours.

It's not the real reason, is it?

No, Quincy. I'm
sorry to say, it isn't.

And don't go blaming Dr. Asten.

I was the one who suggested
taking you off this one.

Why?

Plain as I can say it, this is a
big, splashy case, lots of reporters.

Now, it looks like
we got our man.

We just can't risk it.

You can't risk blowing the
case on an autopsy done by me.

No, wait. Just wait a minute.

You're under a cloud, Quincy.

None of us can wish it away.

Of course it'll
clear up, all right.

But until it does, it won't do anybody
any good to get embroiled in another battle

over your competency.
So, I made the final decision.

I'm sure you can appreciate the
delicacy of this whole situation.

Of course.

I'd better start preparing
for that re-autopsy.

Quincy, if there's anything I can do
to help, you just let me know. Okay?

Sure.

Then we really haven't come
up with any new evidence

that contradicts your
original conclusions.

We didn't find one single
piece of new evidence

that supports those
conclusions, either.

You think the D.A.
will see it that way?

I can just hear him now.

That's just great!

We're no further ahead
than when we started!

We tried everything
but fabricating evidence.

Maybe you should have done that.

Oh, come on, will you, Sal?

What do you mean,
"Come on, will you, Sal"?

Ramsey's attorney will
accuse you of it anyway.

- That's ridiculous.
- Ridiculous?

You listen to me, Quincy.

What's ridiculous to you, or to me,
may not be so ridiculous to a jury.

Ramsey's hired the
best. Drew Castle.

I've seen him skate rings
around professionals.

What are you? Some guy walking
around with a ball and chain.

I'm not exactly new to the
courtroom, Sal. I'll be ready.

- You'll be ready?
- Yes, I will.

Oh, yeah? Sit down.

Doctor Quincy,

isn't everything you're telling
us really a matter of opinion.

I mean, when it all boils
down. It's your opinion

that this man was
scared to death, right?

If you're asking if a scientific
judgment has to be made, yes, of course.

Isn't it also correct, Dr. Quincy, that
your judgment at a recent murder trial

concerning a critical piece of evidence
turned out to be 100 percent incorrect?

See what I mean?

You may walk in to that
courtroom a forensic expert,

but the defense will do everything
they can, to see you leave, a broken man.

The tox screen on the jogger who
collapsed, was anything but routine.

Get this. She had high levels of
two separate drugs in her system.

Doesn't look like natural
causes anymore, does it?

Hard to say.

Quince, something's wrong. You
haven't been yourself the last few days.

I got a lot on my mind,
Sam. Is that all right with you?

I mean, why won't you
just leave me alone?

Yeah, okay.

- Sam.
- Yeah?

I'm sorry, Sam. I
didn't mean that.

It's just not fair.

You spend your whole
life trying to do what's right,

trying to make some
kind of contribution.

And then, one day you trip
up, you fall flat on your face.

And that's all
anybody remembers.

Not the victories, not the accomplishments,
not the effort, just the mistakes.

Everything you've worked
for. It doesn't mean a thing.

Sam, I'm going to do everything
in my power to convince the jury

that Ramsey scared his
victim to death, but if I fail,

it'll be the last time
I go out on a limb.

So, I guess that
finishes everything up.

Oh, wait a minute.

The case of that woman
jogger, who collapsed dead,

I was just reading your report.
I must say, I'm a little confused.

- By what?
- Well, I don't know,

the lack of
conclusion, for starters.

You know, Quincy,

I can't remember the last time
that you turned in a report that said,

"Cause of death, undetermined."

I didn't have enough
data to be certain.

Well, I can understand that.

Quincy, your own
toxicology report showed

high levels of phenobarbital
and methaqualone,

and your autopsy findings were
consistent with respiratory depression.

But, given her size, I wasn't sure if those
levels would be high enough to kill her.

The numbers were borderline.

I guess, you could
look at it that way.

Except,

the synergistic effect, the two drugs
working together, on top of the exertion,

that's what killed her!

Possibly.

More than possibly.

I'm sure of it.

Then, Doctor Asten,

with all due respect,

maybe you should
sign the death certificate.

Bernie.

Have you been
awake all this time?

The trial starts in a few hours.

Can't sleep.

I don't know, if forcing this trial
to go ahead was the right thing.

Oh, of course it was.

If you had held up
this trial even a day,

Linton would've made you
look as dishonest as he is.

But Quincy hasn't come up with anything
to add to his first autopsy results.

And how much water
do you think that'll hold,

once the defense
brings up the Miles case.

But won't the District
Attorney say it's irrelevant?

You could always sustain him.

But it isn't irrelevant.

What if Quincy is showboating?

What if he really doesn't
know what he's talking about.

That should be for the
jury to decide, not me.

It would sure make your life a
lot simpler, if you disallowed it.

If I start forgetting
why I became a judge,

then I'm no better than Linton.

What you as a
jury will have to do

is to separate
fact from fiction.

It's a fact that Gabriel Pratt
was at the home of Mr. Ramsey,

on that fateful Sunday
night in January.

But it's a fiction

that the defendant tried to extort
money from Mr. Pratt's importing firm.

It's a fact that Pratt was
hysterical when he arrived,

a fact that he keeled over and
died in Victor Ramsey's presence.

A fiction,

an utter fiction,

that Mr. Ramsey had anything
to do with the man's death.

In fact, it was my client who
called the police to the scene.

You'll hear the Coroner claim

that Pratt was scared to death.

Maybe if it happened on Halloween,
Doctor Quincy would be accusing

an eight-year-old trick or
treater, with a sheet over his head,

who might've looked Pratt
in the eye and wantonly said,

"Boo!"

Mr. Angeletti, you may
call your first witness.

Your Honor, I'd like to
call Doctor Robert Asten.

The state's case against Victor
Ramsey hinges on the forensic testimony

of Senior Medical
Examiner Doctor Quincy.

So, I'd like to call,
as my first witnesses,

individuals who can attest
to the Doctor's expertise.

Dr. Asten.

Based on this long
professional association,

how would you rate Doctor Quincy
as compared to others in his field.

I can honestly say he's the best forensic
pathologist it's been my pleasure to know.

Would you call him
a man of integrity?

I certainly would. And so would
anyone else who has ever met him.

Objection.

Doctor Asten can really
only speak for himself.

Sustained.

What about his specific expertise
pertaining to deaths related to the heart?

He's autopsied
hundreds of cardiac cases,

if he has a peer in that
area, I have yet to meet him.

Thank you, Doctor Asten.

Your witness, Mr. Castle.

I gather from your glowing
words, Doctor Asten,

that you've never known your
colleague, Doctor Quincy, to be wrong.

Now, I didn't say that.

Of course, he's made mistakes.

Even in heart cases?

I don't know. I suppose.

Well, no one is
right all the time.

Could you say with
any certainty then,

that Doctor Quincy's findings
never convicted an innocent man?

With absolute certainty,
no, I couldn't say that.

But, the evidence that Doctor
Quincy has presented it...

A simple yes or no, will
be sufficient, Dr. Asten.

No.

That's all for now.

Thank you, Doctor Asten.

You'll have to forgive
me, Doctor Quincy.

Being a layman I found some of
your statements to the jury a little,

well, mystifying.

Were you suggesting that the
victim did not die of a heart attack?

No.

What I said was the
heart failure was brought

on by the blank
being fired at his head.

Then I take it, it
was a heart attack.

Something that might
have happened at any time.

Gabriel Pratt would
be alive today,

if he hadn't endured
the kind of hair-raising

fear that Mr. Ramsey
put him through.

Well, in any case,

your opinion is a
judgment call, is it not?

That's right.

Can you recall another
recent homicide investigation,

in which you evaluated
a piece of evidence?

I'm thinking of the
Wayne Miles arrest.

Your Honor, I object.

The case that Mr. Castle alludes to
has no bearing on the matter being tried.

No, your Honor, it is relevant.
Goes to the very heart of the issue.

Medical and scientific
competency of this witness.

Your Honor, the testimony of that
hearing has no bearing on this trial.

It does, Your Honor, because
the testimony in that hearing

relates to
Dr. Quincy's credibility.

I'm going to overrule
the objection.

You may answer the
question, Doctor Quincy.

I recall the case.

You examined certain
physical evidence in that case

a skin fragment, some blood,

a stocking,

and you concluded what?

That the skin came
from Wayne Miles.

A man who was
subsequently picked up

and charged with murder.

And could you tell
the jury, Doctor Quincy,

whether your judgment on that
evidence turned out to be right?

No, Mr. Castle.

As you're well aware,

Mr. Miles was 40 miles from the
scene of the crime when it happened.

He had an unimpeachable alibi.

It's a good thing for him
that he did, Doctor Quincy.

If he'd been out for a walk,

instead of dining with a "who's
who" of state government.

You might have hung an
innocent man. Isn't that so?

I suppose it's possible.

And in this case, Doctor Quincy,

do you suppose it's possible

that you might have missed
something in the Gabriel Pratt autopsy,

just as you must have missed
something in the Wayne Miles case?

Couldn't you be dead
wrong once again?

No.

I'm certain of the
statements I've made today.

For what your
assurances are worth,

I have no further questions.

The city controller has asked
for all of Councilman Richard's

travel vouchers to verify them.

In other news,

the prosecution presented
its main witness today,

in the murder-by-fright trial of
alleged mob figure Victor Ramsey.

The defense questioned the
competence of Coroner Doctor Quincy,

bringing up the recent
murder investigation

in which Doctor Quincy
accused the wrong man

of having been...

You don't have
to listen to that.

I can't run away from it, Danny.

You don't have to run
headlong into it either.

How much longer you
figure the trial will last?

The State's already
rested. A couple of days.

Looks pretty bad, doesn't it.

That's the
understatement of the year.

The defense attorney's got
that jury eating out of his hand.

Thanks.

What'd you do, get
fresh with a young lady?

A little minor
surgery I just had.

Got rid of a little
cyst on the cheek.

They did a nice
job, take a look.

How about a second opinion?

You're really cheap,
you know that?

It's clean.

It's very clean.

Only thing that hurt was shooting
me up with that anesthetic.

So, it's okay?

Perfect.

Too perfect.

Too perfect?

Then what's that expression
on your face mean?

It means I've just been played
for the world's biggest patsy.

- Huh?
- The Wayne Miles case.

There was no coincidence.
I was set up. I was framed.

And I've got less than
48 hours to prove it.

I stretched raw sheepskin over a mannequin,
and covered it with a nylon stocking.

Then I hit it with the ring which
had supposedly cut up the murderer.

And these are the skin
fragments that tore off?

Right. As you can see, in
every case, the edge is ragged.

But, Quincy, what
does that prove?

Nothing by itself.

But look at this. This is the skin
fragment we found at the crime scene.

The edges are too straight
to have been torn by that ring.

You know, you're right.

Maybe the magnification in this photo isn't
great enough to see the irregularities.

I thought of that too.

Doctor Asten, put that
skin under the microscope.

Blow it up as much as you want.

You test my theory.

If I do it, no one
will believe me.

You were right, Quincy.

Even blown up this big, the
edges of that skin tear are too sharp.

That's because the skin
was not torn, it was cut.

Surgically excised
from Wayne Miles' chin

and then planted at the crime
scene along with traces of his blood.

Knowing you'd find it and be misled
into thinking Miles pulled off the murder.

That's shrewd.

How're you going to prove that?

You know they wouldn't have removed
that skin without injecting a painkiller.

That's why I want you to test that
skin for the presence of an anesthetic.

But there's so little of it.

You'd have to pulverize the entire
specimen for anything to show up.

Then you'll have to
destroy the specimen.

Are you insane?

The skin fragment is the one
piece of evidence we do have.

We destroy it and
it'll look like tampering!

I know, it's a catch-22 situation.
Unless I find an anesthetic,

I'll never convince anybody
there was a frame-up.

That's why I want you to
supervise Sam's analysis on the skin.

Please.

All right. I'll do it.

Come on.

You've got me convinced, Quincy.

I don't think you'll have
much trouble with the jury.

They even knocked out Doctor McCallum's
phone the night we were both on call.

Just to make sure I'd be on the Mevenda
murder, and find the evidence they planted.

Now that we know
about everything,

except who really
did kill Mevenda.

If we could find him, that would
really slam the door on Ramsey.

Problem is, once you blow
this scheme sky high in court,

we may never get
to the murderer.

- Unless.
- Unless what?

Unless I go back and pay
our friend Wayne Miles a visit.

But he's not the
murderer. We know that.

But he knows who is.

And if we play our cards right,

maybe I can get him to flush
the murderer out in to the open.

Wish me luck, Lieutenant.

Mr. Miles?

What the hell do you want?

The name of the man who
murdered Jake Mevenda.

You're really something.

First you accuse me of killing the
guy, then you assume I know who did.

Why don't you take a hike?

The cat's out of the bag, Mr. Miles. I
know how you got that cut on your face.

I told you. I nicked
myself shaving.

And what do you use for
shaving cream? Lidocaine?

That's what I found in that
skin fragment from the stocking.

That skin was surgically
removed to discredit me.

You're out of your mind.

You didn't need any help from
me. You discredited yourself.

That's right. You keep
sticking to your story.

Until you get ten
to twenty for perjury.

I'll see you in jail.

- Hello, Hoyt?
- Yeah.

I think we've got some trouble.

Don't turn around.

We're going to walk over to that Lincoln,
then we're gonna go for a little drive.

Get your hand out of
there, nice and slow.

It's not gonna do you any good,
you know. I've got it all figured out.

You killed Mevenda
then you set me up.

You're right. Too bad you
won't be able to tell anyone.

You were just losing your good
name. Now you're going to lose your life.

Get in!

Get over. You drive.

Hold it!

Don't move!

Where were you guys? I
thought you had disappeared!

I told 'em to stay out of
sight until they were needed.

You were needed.
You were needed.

Did you get it?

Yeah.

Every word.

You killed Mevenda
then you set me up.

You're right. Too bad you
won't be able to tell anyone.

You were just losing your good
name. Now you're going to lose your life.

Now, the bottom line.

Quincy wasn't wrong.

That was Mr. Miles skin
and blood at the crime scene.

Now we know that those clues were
the bait, and Doctor Quincy was the catch.

Killing Mevenda not only
wiped out one witness in this trial,

it almost wiped out two.

Do you have the
verdict forms with you?

Yes, Your Honor.

Will you please hand
them to the bailiff?

Yes, Your Honor.

Mr. Ramsey, please stand.

Mr. Clerk, will you
read the verdict?

Title of count and cause.

The People of the State of
California versus Victor Ramsey.

We the jury in the above entitled
action, find the Defendant Victor Ramsey

guilty of murder.

And find it to be murder
in the second degree.

The jury is excused, with
the sincere thanks of the court.

Sentencing is set for
three weeks from today.

Before we adjourn, I'd like to
make a few comments for the record.

Doctor Quincy, this isn't
an order, but a request.

Would you mind stepping forward.

First, let me extend my thanks
on behalf of this entire community

for your diligence,
for your courage.

You brought two murderers to justice,
who might otherwise have gone free.

To get one of them you
risked your reputation.

To get the other one,

you risked your life.

But, I sense, Doctor Quincy,

that though you've been vindicated,
you still feel terribly wronged

that your competence
was questioned,

that your theories
were ridiculed,

that your integrity
was attacked.

What I wish you would
see, is that your ordeal of fire,

shall we say, is what the
justice system is all about.

You'll have to prove yourself every
time you step onto the witness stand,

based on the merits
of the evidence.

No morals to rest on.

You have to be tested.
Over and over again.

We all do.

- You wanted to see me?
- Yes, I do.

Now, listen, Quincy.

Look, this Woodman
case. Homicide?

That's what I came up with.

Few days ago, you said suicide.

That was before I saw
the tox screen and look,

with this amount of phenobarb in her
system, she would have to be unconscious.

No matter what the
insurance company says,

it was not suicide, she was given the
pills and then she was driven off the road.

Listen. Her husband is a
lawyer, he'll go for the jugular.

I hope you can back this up.

Oh, I think I can.

But every once in a
while, if you're on the team,

you've got to come up to bat.

Yeah, well, let's
not strike out, okay?

I can always use a pinch hitter.

No. No, I think I'll
stick with the old timer.