Matlock s01e03 Episode Script

I tell you something, Carter.
If I didn't have white hair before this case, it's getting there now.
Every time we think we got something, it slips right through our fingers.
But I really don't think the boy did it.
I'll tell you one thing, if I was keeping a young, good-Iooking woman and she started stepping out on me, especially with a younger man, I'd be madder than hell.
I don't know if I'd be mad enough to kill her, but somebody was.
What do you think? This is the lobby, Hobson speaking.
Get up to 1 1 02 right away.
There's a woman screaming for help.
Something terrible has happened.
Hurry.
That's it.
Charlene.
- Charlene.
- What? You've organised my desk again.
- Looking for these? - Yeah, yeah.
I guess when you get a certain age, that's it, huh? Dad.
I've been going over our books.
- Good.
- We're doing very well.
- Do you want a raise? - Nope.
- Vacation? - Nope.
Remember telling me about when you were a kid, and that boy lost his overcoat? - Yeah.
- And you gave him yours? - Yeah.
- Why don't we do that again? Charlene, it's summertime.
What I'm trying to say is that I think we should take a case for nothing every now and then.
- We do.
- When? Every now and then.
Dad, you've heard about this boy, Kevin Meredith, who was arrested for killing his girlfriend? - Yeah.
- I just had a long talk with his mother.
Charlene, the public defender's office will do a fine job.
I used to be one of them.
I can speak for them.
He'll get a great defence.
His mom said he was advised against even trying to go to college.
They said he wouldn't make it.
Well, he's been holding down two jobs and he's an honour student.
She said she hoped it wasn't true, but she heard the Matlock office only worked for money.
She said he never owned an overcoat.
So tell us what happened.
We'd been making love.
I went into the bathroom to take a shower.
When I came out, there was a knife.
I picked it up and Joanne was dead.
Did you see anybody? Hear anybody? - Anybody hate her? - She was wonderful.
- Everybody liked her.
- Somebody didn't like her.
And right now, the police and the DA think that's you.
I loved her.
I'm sorry, Kevin, but that's not a defence.
Then what the hell is? Did Joanne have some money? I mean, judging from her address-- Her family was rich.
Why? Did she help you out now and then? I never took anything from her.
She was the best thing that ever happened to me.
I loved her.
And if you think anything else, you can just get out of here.
Well, that's some temper you got there.
I hope it won't be the death of you.
Joanne believed in me.
She believed I was gonna make it.
Be somebody.
That's part of why I loved her so much.
She believed in me when nobody else did.
She believed in me.
Well, come on, son.
Your arraignment's in half an hour.
Well, good morning, Lloyd.
How's everything in your life? Morning, Ben.
You are always up, aren't you? Well, I'm in a trade I like, and I got another winner.
- Are your clients ever guilty? - Not if I can help it.
Superior Court 3 is now in session.
The Honourable Judge Carter Addison presiding.
All rise.
We'll start with the private counsel cases.
The State v.
Meredith.
Benjamin Matlock for the defence, Your Honour.
Defendant has been advised of his rights, waives reading of the indictment, pleads not guilty, requests a jury trial.
Time is waived.
How would September 28th, 9 a.
m.
be, counsellor? Fine with me, Your Honour.
Agreed.
Oh, Mr.
Matlock, I'd like to see you in chambers when I'm finished here.
Of course.
Thank you so much for defending my son.
We'll give it our best shot.
I know.
Phil, I know, but the cat is now out of the bag.
Wha--? All right, look, so it's not a surprise.
I'll tell you what, I'll act surprised.
All evening, I promise.
All right, I'll see you then.
I'm sorry, Ben.
Some of the boys were gonna surprise me with a party at the Windsor, celebrating my tenth year on the bench.
My clerk just let it slip.
Ten years? Has it been that long? As of tomorrow.
- Boy, the years go by.
- Too fast.
I remember when we both had brown hair.
Oh, yes, right, well The old law society picture from school.
- I remember a lot of those guys.
- You never did join, did you? No, I never was much of a joiner.
I remember you were a hard worker.
Didn't you--? Weren't you holding down a couple of jobs? Well, it was either hold down a couple of jobs or not go to school.
I always admired you, Ben.
- Yeah? I never knew that.
- Sit down.
I wanted to talk to you-- - Off the record.
- Yeah.
You know Paul Devereau's boy, Dale, passed the bar last year, and naturally, Paul's gonna take him into the firm.
Oh, I'm a strong believer in nepotism.
So is my daughter, Charlene.
Well, anyway, Dale doesn't have a lot of courtroom experience, and it occurred to me this Meredith case might be good practise for him.
Well, he's very bright.
I mean, he'll do a good job.
You're asking me to step aside? Well, just to help Paul's boy out.
Well, Carter I feel I have an obligation here.
I know it would be good practise for Paul's boy, but I've already accepted the case.
I know Paul's boy would do a good job, but l-- I just-- I feel like I should stay on.
Well, it was just a thought.
Sure, sure.
Hey, listen, happy tenth.
Thank you.
It's strange.
It's very strange.
I mean, if it had happened on the street it would be strange, but in his chambers, it's very strange.
You're talking to yourself again.
Get this.
Carter Addison calls me into his office and asks me to step aside on the Meredith case and give it to Paul Devereau's boy.
- Dale.
- Yeah.
- Dale? - Isn't that strange? Never heard of a judge doing anything like that.
- Hello, people.
- Hey, Tyler.
Tyler, I've been looking for you all morning.
Well, I've been busy getting my fall wardrobe together.
You just got a new wardrobe.
A man in my position cannot afford to be five minutes out of style.
What position is that? I have been nominated Young Atlanta Businessman of the Year.
- Who nominated you? - Me.
- You? - Yeah.
And it's within the rules.
And if I win, the local financial community will open its doors and its chequebooks to me.
- What's the case? - Kevin Meredith, pro bono.
There's no fee? Well, look at the publicity.
Young Atlanta Businessman of the Year with a heart of gold.
Anyone ever tell you that you are one-- Absolutely.
- Coming? - Wouldn't miss it.
- Tyler.
- Lieutenant.
- Hello, Ben.
- Hello, Rupert.
- Charlene.
We about done here, Ben.
- Oh, good.
You wanna visit with the building manager? Don't you trust our lab, Ben? Well, they're good, they're just not looking to help Kevin Meredith.
Hey, Tyler.
There's no fingerprints in the bedroom to speak of.
- They're all smudged.
- Look at that.
A burned spot.
Look at that ashtray.
Isn't that a pipe-smoker's ashtray? Yeah, you can see where the bowl fits right in there and there.
Check that for prints, huh? Look around and see if you can find some tobacco.
There's a cognac bottle in the kitchen, see if it's got any prints.
You got it.
Dad.
Building manager was reasonably cooperative.
Now, he said Joanne Leigh lived here for six months.
Paid for the whole year in advance.
Thirty-two thousand dollars.
Now, I'm wondering how a student could afford $32,000.
Kevin said her people have money.
Manager told me her mother's been calling in here.
Wanted to get Joanne's car so she could sell it.
- Sell it? - She lives over in Hastings.
She works as a chambermaid in a hotel.
He said she's the only family Joanne had.
He also told me that when Joanne first moved in here, she got two sets of keys.
Then about two months ago, about the same time she started seeing Kevin, she asked for another set of keys.
So if Kevin Meredith didn't kill her, then somebody came in while he was taking a shower and did.
It may be whoever got that other set of keys.
You know, I can't get over Carter Addison asking me to step aside on this.
I mean, I can understand a lawyer asking a judge to step aside because of a prejudice, but a judge asking a lawyer, don't you think that's odd? Yeah, it is.
Ben, I didn't find any fingerprints on that cognac bottle.
I did find this.
A pipe cleaner and some tobacco.
Oh, no.
This city kills me.
Here's a street where absolutely nothing's happening and you can only park here for an hour.
I told you to read the signs.
How many parking spaces did Joanne Leigh have? She was assigned two, but there was construction going on in the garage, so she was down to one.
So whoever was visiting her had to park on the street.
Kevin Meredith doesn't have a car.
Check all the parking tickets issued around here in last two or three months.
- Parking tickets? - Yeah.
- All of them? - Yeah.
If somebody was keeping Joanne Leigh and didn't wanna be seen, he might have been parking around here, and like somebody I know, gotten a lot of tickets.
Hey, Ben, you got any idea how long that's gonna take? For the Young Businessman of the Year, probably a heartbeat.
Wanna drive over to Hastings and visit the girl's mama? Yeah.
- You drive.
- Why? Because I'm the senior partner and I just got a ticket and everything.
Keep your eyes on the road, stay in the speed limit, and no rock 'n' roll on the radio.
I'm taking you back to the office.
I don't think you understand my anger, how I feel, or anything at all.
Well, I'm sure you've had a terrible loss, Mrs.
Leigh.
My loss happened a long time ago.
You mean when your daughter left home? I was glad she wanted to go to school.
First she'd come home on vacations and then she stopped coming home at all.
She'd go home with her friends.
She never liked it here in Hastings.
Hated it, so she left.
Can I sell her car? I'll see what I can do.
We'll need you to testify at the trial.
You're working for the boy who killed her.
We think somebody else may have done that, Mrs.
Leigh.
It seems that there was someone else in Joanne's life.
Oh, you mean the man who was keeping her.
- Did she say who it was? - No, no, and I never asked.
All I know is that he was some sort of bigshot.
He paid for her school.
We'd like you to tell the court about this.
- You mean go to Atlanta? - That's right.
Well, maybe.
Maybe I could do that.
I got expenses if I do.
Travel, a place to stay.
How much? Five.
Five thousand.
It's not our policy to pay people for telling the truth, Mrs.
Leigh.
I'm sorry.
This is your subpoena.
Requires your presence in court.
- Hi, Ben.
- Oh, hi.
- What do you make of her? - She's tough.
I think she was really hurt when her daughter left her.
Yes, Sarah.
Okay.
- For you on one.
- I'll take it in the office.
Ben, I went through all the parking tickets for Joanne Leigh's neighbourhood.
I got a couple singles, a few doubles, but nobody had a lot of parking tickets.
Nobody, huh? And you were wrong about it taking me a heartbeat.
It took me a lot of heartbeats.
Well, whoever was keeping her had to park on the street, and he had to have gotten some parking tickets.
Well, I don't know what to tell you.
You know if a person's got the juice he could fix a ticket and make it disappear as though it never existed.
Did you know that? Yeah, I knew that.
I don't know the details about how to-- Come on, fellas, we haven't got much time.
Evening, Carter.
Well, hello, Ben.
What are you doing here? Oh, sometimes I get the wanderlust.
Buy you a drink.
- Well, it's a little late.
- Oh, just one.
They got something here very special.
Two Langlois Napoleon cognacs.
- Well, let me say good night.
- Yeah, okay.
Well, here's to dandelion season or whatever season it is.
Yeah, I used to come here a lot.
They used to have jazz in here.
Yeah.
Remember those great dance bands used to come through and play dances at school? Remember the name of that one small band with the funny name? ''Snooky'' something? Snooky Sandwich and the Slippery Seven.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
- You used to be a good dancer.
- I did okay.
- You still step out once in a while? - Once in a while.
Good, huh? Interestingly enough, I found a bottle of this in Joanne Leigh's apartment.
- Who? - Joanne Leigh, that murdered girl.
Oh, yes, yes.
I really am glad I didn't step aside on this case.
It's fascinating.
It really is.
There's a lot I don't know, but I got a lot of things I think.
I think she was being kept by an older man.
I think he smoked a pipe and drank this same cognac.
I don't know that he killed her, but he could have.
Felt threatened over her relationship with this Kevin Meredith.
We're checking parking tickets around her building, around 23rd and Highview.
In fact, I got one there myself.
- You did? - I don't suppose you could fix it? - Well, I think not, Ben.
- I'm just joshing you.
Well, I better get home.
My wife's by herself.
- Big day tomorrow.
- For me too, Carter, for me too.
- Thanks, Ben.
Good night.
- Yeah.
- Anything? - Nothing good.
- No blood? - No blood.
Damn.
I thought we were gonna get him tonight.
Well, it's not strange that Carter Addison asked you to step aside anymore, is it? No.
Tell you one thing, he thinks he's covered his tracks pretty good.
He's as cool as the centre seed of a cucumber.
Ben, the judge's tobacco from the restaurant matches the blend I found in Joanne's apartment.
Good.
- No blood in the car, huh? - No blood.
Well, maybe he cleaned up before he left.
Cleaned up? Where? I don't know.
But he would have had to have done it before he even got in his car.
You know there's an apartment building that's just across the street from Joanne's, and maybe when he first suspicioned that she was stepping out on him-- Or that is, having somebody in.
--he might have gotten the use of a place there.
Well, that would explain why the parking tickets stopped.
The police said her shutters were open.
Oh, Dad.
You mean he got a place in that building so he could watch Kevin and Joanne make love, maybe for weeks? Well, let's just say that maybe he was checking to see if what he thought was happening was happening.
- We better find it.
- Find what? The apartment he was using, if there was one.
Ben, there's probably 50 or 60 apartments with a view of Joanne's windows.
Now, you can bet Addison didn't use his real name.
Maybe he didn't even rent the place himself.
Were you at your security desk when the phone call came in? Yes, sir, I was.
To the best of your recollection, could you tell the court what the man said? I believe he said, ''Get up 1 1 02 right away.
A woman's screaming for help.
Something terrible is happening.
'' What did you do? Well, I got up there right away and rang the bell.
When no one answered, I let myself in.
- Was anyone there? - Joanne's young friend.
I call your attention to People's Exhibit 3.
Do you recognise it? Yes, he was holding it when I came in.
- Was anyone else in the apartment? - No, sir, just him.
And is that man presently in the courtroom? Yes, sir, he is.
Would you identify him? He's right over there.
Let the record show that the witness identified the defendant.
No further questions.
Any cross-examination? Mr.
Hobson.
How long have you worked at your apartment building? Ten years, since the day they opened the doors.
You know all the tenants? Every last one of them, down to the kids and the dogs.
And the dogs.
- I bet they know you.
- Yes, sir, they do.
You know, something seems strange to me.
You testified that a man phoned you and said, ''Get up to 1 1 02 right away.
'' But he didn't call you by your name.
He didn't say, ''Harry, get up to 1 1 02,'' did he? No, he didn't.
- Harry is your first name, isn't it? - Yes, sir.
- Did you recognise the man's voice? - No, I didn't.
Mr.
Hobson, are there house phones in your building? Yes, sir, there are.
- There one on every floor? - That's right.
So someone could have called from a house phone rather than one of the apartments.
- Isn't that correct? - Objection.
Relevancy.
Your Honour, I'm attempting to show that to call the security guard, a person does not necessarily have to be a tenant.
Anyone could have come in off the street and done it.
Sustained.
But, Your Honour, if someone other than Kevin Meredith killed Joanne Leigh, then that person could have used the house phone in the hall.
Mr.
Matlock, don't make me repeat myself.
The objection is sustained.
Your Honour, may I approach the bench? Counsel.
Your Honour, defence is attempting to show that someone else had access to the dead woman's apartment, and that phone.
Counsellor for the defence is indulging in totally unjustified speculation.
This is a capital crime, and I ask for the widest possible latitude for my client.
Mr.
Matlock, you've made your point.
Now, I will say, for the last time, you will confine your examination to the issues at hand.
Now, may we get on with this, please? Something else, Counsellor? No.
Not yet.
- Is defence ready to proceed? - Yes, Your Honour.
I call Claire Leigh to the stand.
Is Claire Leigh present? Your Honour, this witness may not have answered our subpoena.
May we take a brief recess while we try to learn of her intentions? Court is recessed for 30 minutes.
We haven't met.
I'm Joanne Leigh's mother.
They're waiting for you in court, Mrs.
Leigh.
Well, I thought we should talk first.
- Why is that? - Joanne told me all about you.
That's not possible.
I didn't know your daughter.
Look, you know I don't have time to play games here.
In a few minutes, I'm gonna be on that stand, and I know plenty about you and Joanne.
But I'll keep my mouth shut if you make it worth my while.
If you think I'm bluffing, you're gonna be real sorry.
Real sorry.
Okay.
Wait, wait.
Mrs.
Leigh.
You were Joanne's mother.
Yes.
And you're a woman of modest means.
I worked hard all my life.
But your daughter lived very well here in Atlanta.
She had a wonderful apartment and lots of pretty clothes.
I was real proud of how well my Joanne had done for herself.
Would you explain to the court how a student with no family support could afford all this luxury? Well, she worked for it, of course.
- How did she support herself? - As a model.
She was very beautiful.
I have scrapbooks full of her pictures at home.
But modelling wasn't the only way she got money, was it? Yes.
Far as I know.
Are you telling this court that your daughter paid for this luxury apartment herself by modelling? - Yes.
- Mrs.
Leigh, you're under oath.
Objection.
Counsel is harassing his own witness.
Sustained.
Your Honour, I'm allowed to examine my own witness any way I choose, especially if I'm surprised by her testimony, and right now I can guarantee you I'm flabbergasted by it.
Mr.
Matlock, may I remind you that in this courtroom you may not harass a witness under any circumstances.
Now, you may proceed.
I urge you to use caution and restraint.
Thank you for your advice, Your Honour.
Mrs.
Leigh.
Do you recall having a conversation with my daughter a few days ago? Yes, I do.
Do you recall stating then that your daughter was being kept by a powerful man? No.
Isn't it true you said this man made it possible for your daughter to live very well? You're trying to trick me.
And didn't you say this same man made it possible for your daughter - to come to school in Atlanta? - Why are you telling these lies? My baby would never take money from a man like that.
She was a sweet, wonderful girl.
And now she's dead, and I know who killed her.
He did.
She told me.
She was scared to death of his temper.
She said she was trying to break it off, and he threatened her, and now she's dead.
He is the one who killed her.
No further questions.
Court is adjourned until tomorrow morning, 9 a.
m.
All rise.
Is counsel ready? Your Honour, may I approach the bench? - What is it, Mr.
Matlock? - I'll get right to it, Your Honour.
Defence intends to call His Honour as its next witness.
I have no information relevant to this case.
Mr.
Matlock, do you realise the implication of your intention? I'm afraid I do, Your Honour, but I have an obligation to present evidence that I believe will be helpful to my client's defence.
I think this is a complete waste of the court's time and the state's money.
Your Honour's testifying could mean a mistrial.
Then we'd have to start this whole trial all over again.
That doesn't make any sense.
I have a sincere belief that Your Honour may have knowledge of facts that may shed some light on this case.
My duty is to Mr.
Meredith, not to the state treasury.
I'll see both counsel and the court reporter in chambers.
And I don't believe that I have any information to help your client, but I understand your position, and we all appreciate what a mistrial will cost us in terms of time and money.
Now, Judge Cooksey is available.
If you and Mr.
Burgess will agree to Judge Cooksey presiding over my examination, I think we can put this matter to rest, Mr.
Matlock.
If you can show that I know something important here, then I'll agree to step down and a mistrial will be declared.
If you can't, then I will retake the bench tomorrow morning, we'll finish this case and send it to the jury.
Mr.
Burgess? It's unusual, but the state agrees if Mr.
Matlock does.
Defence goes along with your proposal.
All rise.
Your Honour, defence has just been presented with new evidence that's important to our case.
May we take a brief recess to prepare for our next witness? All right.
This court will recess until 2:30 this afternoon.
The truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help me God.
Please be seated.
Mr.
Addison.
Do you know Mrs.
Claire Leigh? Are you referring to defence's witness? - Yes, I am.
- I don't know her personally, no.
You are aware that she is the mother of the deceased, Joanne Leigh? I believe that was her testimony.
Have you had any occasion to discuss this case with Mrs.
Leigh? Absolutely not.
Isn't it true that you met with her this morning - after she testified in your court? - No, I did not.
And at that time, didn't you give her an envelope containing $1 5,000? Objection.
The witness already testified he never met with the woman.
Sustained.
Did you know Joanne Leigh? - No.
- Never met her? No.
Mr.
Addison, let me ask your opinion here.
If there were a condominium, and its ownership were in question-- That is, it were in a lawsuit.
--could that condominium be impounded by the court? Yes.
So that neither party involved in that lawsuit could enter that condominium? Yes.
Now, if this condominium were impounded by the court, would it be difficult for someone in the court, say, a judge like yourself, to obtain a key to that impounded condominium? This is getting a little hypothetical for me, Mr.
Matlock.
Is counsel about to come to a point? Well, Your Honour, I'm just trying to establish that it would not be difficult.
In fact, it would be quite simple for a judge to obtain a key to an impounded condominium.
Now, are you familiar with a condominium building at 437 Highview Street? No, I am not.
Let me refresh Your Honour's memory.
This condominium building is directly across from the apartment building where Joanne Leigh lived.
Mr.
Matlock, I have already stated I am not familiar with this building.
Now, I agreed to testify based on your assurances that I would be a material witness.
So far, you have demonstrated nothing.
Maybe this might clarify it.
From this condominium building, with a pair of binoculars, a person can look right into Joanne Leigh's apartment, which is what the killer did while he watched and waited for his chance to murder her.
Would Mr.
William Bryan please rise.
Now, this condominium building is occupied primarily by retired people.
Mr.
Bryan is a former member of the Atlanta police department.
- Do you recognise him? - No, I do not.
You didn't see Mr.
Bryan there this morning when you were in that building? I have-- I've never been in that building.
I suppose we could have Mr.
Bryan testify that he saw you in that building, but then, that wouldn't prove that you killed Joanne Leigh, would it? Order.
Order in the court.
Matlock, I warn you, making these unsubstantiated charges is contemptible.
Mr.
Addison, I don't make unsubstantiated charges.
You see, this morning when you went back to that condominium when Mr.
Bryan saw you, to remove your clothes that you had left there till this whole thing was over you didn't remove your clothes.
They were replacements that were placed there by my associate, Mr.
Tyler Hudson.
These are your clothes.
This is your raincoat.
See Joanne Leigh's blood? These are your gloves.
Your hat.
Your shoes.
Which I place into evidence now.
Carter.
You were one of the best and one of the brightest.
I'm truly sorry it's come to this.
No further questions.
Your Honour, rather than a mistrial, prosecution moves for dismissal.
Case dismissed.
- Good to hear.
- All right.
- Congratulations.
- Thank you, sir.
- Ben, congratulations.
- Thank you very much.
Good job.
We can't thank you enough.
If you wanna thank someone, thank her.
Your daughter would be very proud.