Jake and the Fatman (1987) s01e04 Episode Script

1
I'll say this about the
Fatman: he's a sweet guy.
Listen, creep, I'm going to
take you apart like a clock.
JAKE: He can be
tough when he has to be.
J.L.: Jake Styles?
Don't ask me
how he can live the way
he does on a cop's salary.
Some people do seem
to like him, however.
But he's a damn good
investigator, and he's mine.
(theme playing)
He's a good guy.
Don't you forget it.
File those motions
in the Barnes case
and meet me with a conformed
copy so that I can take them
into the settlement
meeting, please.
Yes, sir, and good luck.
Once more unto the breach.
Counselor, what
about the verdict?
Were you disappointed
they found your client guilty?
Well, the police had
a signed confession
and two eyewitnesses.
The 12 apostles couldn't
have gotten any other verdict,
and that is not meant in any way
to denigrate the
magnificent case
the district attorney put on.
The big question all along
has been the death penalty.
How will they vote?
Yeah, the death penalty.
Well, that is the
awesome question.
The awesome question,
ladies and gentlemen
one of biblical proportions,
because you
must decide
whether to take a human life.
Thomas Clancy
is before you.
It's his life you hold,
his eyes you must look into
when you say live or die.
Let me tell you as
honestly as I can
what will happen to Tom
if you say die.
Tom will be on death row.
His cell eight feet by 12.
A minister will spend
the entire night with Tom.
They take him to a tiny
room with a glass wall.
They strap him into the chair.
Pellets of cyanide
fall into a pan of water.
You are asleep, at
home, with your families.
You can't see the mouth
open
and take the final
breath that will kill him.
Spare Tom's life.
Imprison him
for all of the
rest of his days
but do not take his life.
The defendant shall
be imprisoned for life
without the
possibility of parole.
DEREK: He did it.
Yeah, the son of
a gun pulled it off.
Thank you. I'll be
in touch tomorrow.
Keep the faith.
Excuse me, sir.
Would you give me your reaction?
I'm not going to say I
was totally surprised.
On the other hand, I can't claim
that the whole thing was
my idea and I thought it up.
Give me a second,
please, I'll be right back.
J.L.
(chuckles)
I have to congratulate
you, Harrison.
Anyone who can make a
jury cry over a three-time loser
who has just dismembered
his wife, I take my hat off to him.
Well, your people had me on
the facts and then on the law.
I thought maybe an emotional
appeal might turn the trick.
You were right.
Thank you.
Bonnie, my darling, I'm awful
sorry to keep you this late,
but we've got to get this
out first thing in the morning.
No problem, I'm glad to do it.
I'm going to be talking
to a prospective client,
so, please, no matter
who it is, no interruptions.
Yes, sir.
Would you like me
to place the call?
Um no, it's confidential.
I'd better do it myself.
♪
(gun clicks)
♪
(siren wailing)
(tires screeching)
(dog barking)
(dog growling)
Yeah, Tommy, hi, there.
It's me.
How you doing, boy?
Yeah, you remember
me, don't you?
Hi, there.
Yes, that's my boy.
Well, it's good to see you, son.
Yeah.
Okay okay.
♪
(water running, man
humming happy tune)
(water running, man
singing happy tune)
(man clears throat)
(singing continues)
(gun clicks)
(singing continues)
(silenced gunshot, man groans)
(silenced gunshot)
(crickets chirping)
♪
(water running)
Scott?
(screams)
Oh, God!
Oh!
Scott!
(sobbing): Scott
(second gunshot in distance)
(sobbing): Oh, God
Oh, my God.
(dog barking in distance)
(dog barking)
(tapping on glass)
Mrs. Gregg?!
Mrs. Gregg! I heard some shots!
Is everything all right?
(sobbing): Scott.
Scott's dead.
Oh, my God.
(groans)
Whose gun is that
on the bathroom
floor, Mrs. Gregg?
Uh, mine, I guess.
And who else was in the house?
Nobody.
I I came home.
I went upstairs.
(sobs)
Scott was
Then I heard gunshots.
Uh, and then the
McCormics came over.
Mrs. Gregg, I'm going to
read you your rights now.
What?
You have the right
to remain silent.
If you give up the right
to remain silent
What are you doing?
Anything you say
can and will be used
against you in a court of law.
Oh
I'm sorry.
(phone ringing)
Harrison Gregg's office.
Bonnie, it's Ellen Gregg.
Is Harrison there, please?
Uh, he is, but
he's on the phone.
It's an emergency.
I'm sorry, but
Mr. Gregg was specific.
The police are here.
Scott's dead.
They think I killed him.
Hold on.
Mr. Gregg?
Bonnie?
What is it?
Mrs. Gregg, I'm J.L. McCabe.
I remember.
We met a few years ago at
the Bar Convention in La Jolla.
Oh, yes, yes.
I came down to tell you
that Harrison's on his way.
I just wanted to make sure
that you're taken care of.
They've explained your rights?
I don't understand
why all this is going on.
I told the police
I went upstairs.
Scott was dead.
I heard shots.
I don't know how he got
I know.
But try to relax
until Harrison gets here.
(gasps)
(sobs)
All right.
What have you got?
The deceased was shot apparently
while he was taking a shower.
Once through the shower curtain,
twice at very close range,
probably while
he was still alive.
There were no
signs of a struggle.
She had no apparent
marks or bruises
that would indicate a fight.
She admits that the gun
was hers that killed him
and she was alone in the house.
Witnesses?
Next-door neighbor
heard the shots.
Mrs. Gregg opened the front door
and said, "Scott's dead."
Not "I shot him,"
anything like that.
No, sir.
And there was one
interesting thing.
Mrs. Gregg said
that she heard shots
but after she found the body.
I don't get it.
Well, the neighbor,
one Mr. McCormic,
said that he only
heard three shots.
HARRISON: J.L., can
I see you for a minute?
Go on back, will you?
It's hard to believe
this is happening.
What's her story?
Same as she told the officers.
No self-defense?
No heat of passion?
J.L.,
Ellen didn't shoot anybody.
Who's representing her?
You surely don't
intend to press charges.
What the hell do
you expect me to do?
I've got a murder
weapon that's hers
and there's no way
anyone else could've done it.
Who's her lawyer?
I am.
You think that's a good idea?
The best idea I can think of.
All right then, counselor.
I'm sorry to say,
but I'm booking your
client for a Murder One.
REPORTER: here on
the first day of the trial
of Mrs. Ellen Gregg.
Follow me.
MAN: Come on. WOMAN: Let's go.
(reporters clamoring)
WOMAN: Mrs. Gregg,
can you comment
on having your
ex-husband defend you
for shooting your new lover?
Mrs. Gregg and I are
still the best of friends
and we always will be.
I'm defending her
because she is not guilty.
MAN: Is this a lover"
quarrel, Mrs. Gregg?
Did Scott Hunter beat you?
My client did not shoot anyone.
She is innocent of
all of the charges.
MAN 2: She's a killer!
She murdered my boy!
Who are you? Scott was my son.
He's dead now, and
nobody cares about him!
But she killed
him! That's not
That's not true! She seduced him
with her big house, her
fancy cars, and all that money.
Once she got tired
of him, she shot him!
Because she's rich, she
thinks she can walk away.
She killed my son!
She killed him!
She killed him!
Here you go, Max.
You'd better have that,
because we're skipping
lunch today, huh?
Here, have one more.
Are you going on a diet?
Of course I'm not
going on a diet.
Max is.
Look at all that extra weight
he's carrying around.
Here you are, boy.
Here's the last one.
If you keep feeding
him all those treats,
he won't need lunch.
What am I supposed to do,
let the poor, dumb
animal starve?
I didn't mean that
personally, Max.
And I don't need
an undernourished
deputy telling me
how to take care of my dog.
What about him?
That's not gonna help
Gregg's case very much.
It's going to be
all over the news.
Yeah.
Gregg let him get away with it.
That's not like him.
See what you can find out about
that grief-stricken parent, huh?
Anything else?
Yeah. Get me Jake Styles.
Okay, kid, feel better?
Hey! Yeah.
You're right on time.
Are you kidding
me? A deal like this,
I'm not gonna be late.
This car is gorgeous.
Yeah.
I hate to give her up, but, uh,
I want to sell it
before I file for divorce.
It's a good thing I ran
into you at the tennis club.
This kind of stuff only
happens to other people,
you know what I mean?
I can't believe you're selling this
car for $10,000. Hey, hey, hey.
Don't remind me how
much I'm losing here, huh?
Take her for a spin.
Okay.
You, uh, you
used to stick shift?
I'll work on it.
(chuckles)
(tires squealing)
Well, it handles pretty nice.
Yeah.
MAN: That's okay.
Have at it, guys.
JAKE: It'll just take 'em a
second to check the serial number
on the engine. Jake?
Yeah. McCabe
wants you to call him.
Okay.
Oh, can I borrow the phone?
Oh
Okay.
Yeah, J.L. It's me.
What's up?
Mm-hmm.
Yeah, no, I
I know where it is.
Okay, I'll see you there.
Yeah. Bye.
The serial number is a match.
You're under arrest
for attempting to
sell stolen property.
Read him his
rights and book him.
Thanks for the use of the phone.
Oh.
OFFICER: All right, sir,
get out of the car, please.
DEREK: What about
your son's friends?
If you could give us a list,
we could contact them
I never met his friends.
The boy was
ashamed of his father,
especially after that car
wreck put me in this chair.
Did he talk much
about Mrs. Gregg?
No.
Well, could you think about it?
Maybe he mentioned
the fights he might've had.
No.
Well, what did he
tell you about her?
Not much.
Scott never told me
much about anything.
Did he tell you anything
about their relationship?
Mr. Hunter, you seem to
have strong opinions about her.
I think I've said enough.
(applause on TV)
GAME SHOW HOST: Aw, no prize.
Thank you.
(on TV): Sorry, Susan, no prize.
Thank you very much.
JAKE: 8:00, you're
sure about that?
I know it was 8:00. Three shots?
Look, that's all I know. Okay.
All right, okay. Listen,
thank you for your time.
I appreciate it, okay?
You're welcome.
Okay. If you need
me, I'm next door.
Okay, thank you.
Styles. Counselor.
You're not done yet?
We'll put a rush on it.
(indistinct police radio
communication in background)
Jake, I want to tell
you something No.
Wait a minute. Wait a minute.
Jake?
(firmly): Wait a minute.
What the hell are you
doing in the breezeway?
I'm looking for something.
For what?
Jake!
What are you yelling about?
I'm right here.
I don't know what the
hell I was looking for,
but I found this.
That's wadding.
Yeah.
Like the kind you
find in a blank.
Let's go outside.
Okay, guys, that's
it. Let's wrap it up.
(indistinct radio communication)
Well!
Well, J.L., uh,
I'm surprised to see you here.
Well, you know me.
I like to see things for myself.
How are you, Ellen?
I'm all right, I suppose. Good.
Well, if you'll excuse us.
Of course.
It's all yours.
Thank you.
All right, let's have it.
You're not going to like it.
Go on. The wife said
that she heard shots
when she found the body.
That's a strange thing to say.
Mm-hmm.
She said that she heard them
at the other end
of the house, so
I go to the other
end of the house,
and I find wadding from blanks.
I asked the next-door neighbor
if he saw anybody
go into their house.
He says if they would have
entered through the front,
he would have seen them.
If they would have
entered through the back,
his dog would've barked.
His dog didn't bark.
You ought to get
this car washed.
It is filthy
(continues indistinctly)
Oh, those car wash
places are a rip-off.
So, what's your point?
Well, the point is,
what if Ellen Gregg
is telling the truth?
That's what I'm saying.
What if
What if someone
entered through the
back of the house
shot Scott Hunter,
shot him with a silencer
waited for her to get home,
fired three blanks
in the breezeway.
You're saying
somebody like Gregg?
He's got a key
to the front door.
I just saw him open it.
Mr. McCormic says that Gregg
is on good terms with his dog.
(J.L. chuckles)
You're doing a hell of a job
for the defense, young man.
No, there's a big
problem with your theory.
Well, hey, it's a theory.
I mean, I don't
take it personally.
The neighbor says he heard
the shots at exactly 8:00.
He was watching TV,
and noted the time.
And the officer on the scene
said Ellen called
Gregg at exactly 8:15.
His office is a good
six miles from here.
(crickets chirping)
Go!
(tires squealing)
(engine revving)
(door squeaks)
Time.
14 minutes.
Let's nail him.
(crickets chirping, dog barking)
HARRISON: Do you
want to go out to dinner?
Uh-uh.
I'm not exactly in the mood.
Sorry.
(sighs)
You surely don't want
to stay here in the house.
Come on, we'll go
over to my place.
You can stay
there if you want to.
I think I'd just
like to be alone.
I really am sorry.
I don't mean to pressure you.
Harrison, please.
Don't think I'm not grateful
for what you're doing.
Yes, well
we really do need
to talk about that
as soon as you feel up to it.
All right, let's do it now.
Oh, my dear.
I have to stay dead level
straight with you every minute.
It's not as simple as it seems.
The district attorney
thinks that he can
get a conviction
First-degree murder.
But I didn't do it.
There are no signs
that you were attacked.
That, uh, rules
out self-defense.
The man was killed
while taking a shower.
Anybody doing that is not
in the middle of a
violent argument.
It's very hard to build a case
for an uncontrollable
act of passion.
What are you saying?
Well, I just want you to
know where we stand, kid.
Harrison, don't do this!
Don't treat me like a child.
Just tell me what it means.
I think
rather than risk a conviction,
I'd like
to try to make a deal.
But I didn't do it.
Don't you believe me?
Of course I do.
But I have to advise
you, as your attorney
I think we can get this thing
reduced to manslaughter.
A reasonably
short sentence.
(sighs)
Harrison
I had no reason to kill Scott.
I loved him.
Yes, I know.
I'm sorry.
But you know what I mean.
I had no reason to shoot him.
I have to tell you
that I've done
some investigating.
What?
It seems that there was a woman.
No, there wasn't.
He was seeing
her two or three
That isn't true.
Darling, he saw her two
or three times a week.
I'm sorry.
You don't believe me.
I want to.
(sighs)
Kid, do you trust me?
Yes.
Then let me handle this.
My way.
(sighs)
♪
DEREK: Well, what do you know?
It's a miracle cure.
Performed by Andrew
Jackson, no less.
Now, what about another
extraordinary event?
You tell me the truth.
(intercom buzzes)
Yes?
WOMAN: Mr. McCabe
is here to see you.
Send him in, please.
Okay. Will you file
these, too, please?
Yes. This afternoon.
Right.
(laughs)
That is one hell of a
door you've got there.
They said you wanted
to see me, huh?
Eh, sounded like a good excuse
for me to get out of the office.
May I sit down?
Please, J.L. Sit
So, what did you want?
I'm a little concerned
about Ellen.
I'm not at all sure
that I want to
go to trial on this.
Harrison Gregg is
looking for a deal?
J.L., what have we got here?
Um, lovers' quarrel.
He's going to leave.
She loses control.
Uh, manslaughter, huh?
Why not?
No, no.
I-I don't think so, Harrison.
In all good conscience, I
don't think I can do that.
Uh what's the problem?
I don't know.
It's just that there's so
much about this case
that just doesn't hang together.
Remember the old
man who showed up
at the courthouse,
denounced Ellen?
Yes, vividly.
Well, it turns out not
only could he walk,
but somebody
paid him to do that.
Now, can you imagine that?
Who would do that?
He swears he doesn't know.
Just that some young
man gave him the payoff.
Really.
Well, he doesn't know
the young man's name,
just that he was
a fancy dresser.
You know, like your, uh
uh, your assistant Dan.
Just like Dan.
Even wears a carnation
just like he does.
Wait a minute.
Uh, are you
suggesting you think?
Oh, no, of course not.
Of course not. Why should
he do something like that?
But I got to tell you,
strictly off the record,
this case is
beginning to get to me.
In what way?
Oh, Jake Styles is
driving me up the wall
with all those
ridiculous theories of his.
What theories?
(chuckles)
I don't want to
bore you with it.
None of it adds up
to anything, anyway.
J.L., I'm very, very interested.
Some
(chuckles)
Something about the
killer using a silencer
on Ellen's gun
(laughing): and
then firing blanks.
Of course I didn't
pay any attention to it.
Oh, dear, I better
get back to the office.
Gertrude will raise hell with me
if I'm late for
the staff meeting.
You know, I've been
trying to fire that old bag
for almost 25 years
now, and, so help me,
someday, I'm gonna find a way.
Hmm.
Nice gun collection.
Almost as nice as mine.
(laughs)
Ah, you know, it's too bad
you had to give your
house to Ellen in the divorce.
Must've been so
convenient to the office, huh?
How long did it
take you to get here?
Oh, I don't know.
20-25 minutes.
Oh, come on.
I'll bet you can do
it in less than that.
Well, I'll show myself out.
Oh.
See you in court.
♪
♪
Now? Now.
(indistinct chatter)
Mr. Gregg!
Hello, Jake. I have probable
cause to believe that you're
carrying evidence in your
briefcase that connects you
with the murder of Scott Hunter.
Would you open it, please?
Are you arresting me?
I'm prepared to
do that, yes, sir.
Oh well, in that case
Derek, would you
hold that for me?
I always like to
cooperate with the police.
What have you got?
They're not in his office.
All right, they've got to be here
somewhere. Checked all the planters.
All right, look, let's
make this simple.
Somewhere between
that door and right up here,
he got rid of a gun
and a silencer, okay?
We're not leaving here until
we find them, understand?
Where do you want me to look?
Everywhere, go look everywhere.
Check the stairs again.
Check the stairs,
check the basement,
check everywhere.
They gotta be here
somewhere. I know, I know.
Jake, what do you want me to do?
Let me in. I'm a cop. I'm a cop.
Let me in. Let me in.
Ooh.
I could kiss you.
How long are you going to be?
I'm done, Jake.
Have you got any
prints? None on the gun.
Check it again. Will
you check it again?
Why? It won't change anything.
All right, what
about the silencer?
I told you there's nothing.
I know what you told me.
I'm just asking
you Are you sure?
I can't invent them.
There's nothing there.
All right, okay, all right.
But take a look at this.
What is this?
Just take a look.
The striation
pattern on a bullet
from Scott Hunter's
body matches a bullet
we fired through the silencer.
Look, just give me the
bottom line on this thing, okay?
Well, there's no
question about it.
The bullets that
killed Scott Hunter
were fired through
this silencer.
That's great.
That's perfect.
That's real good.
Only it doesn't do
it, because I can't
tie it in with Gregg,
you understand?
(Jake sighs)
Wait a minute.
Your Honor, before the
jury comes back from recess,
I would like to call
my next witness.
Any particular reason?
Yes, Your Honor, the
People call Harrison Gregg.
I object, Your Honor.
I cannot contribute
anything to this case
and the district
attorney knows it.
Now, that's not entirely
true, Your Honor.
Unless there is something
concrete this testimony
can add to the case, I'm
going to sustain the objection.
J.L.: Your Honor, I
am acting responsibly.
I believe testimony
from Mr. Gregg
is key to the People's case.
However, I will be
more than happy to hear
his testimony in the presence
of the jury, if you wish.
Mr. Gregg, please
take the stand.
Mr. Gregg, the
defendant in this case
is your ex-wife, Ellen Gregg,
is that not so?
Yes, that is true.
And she's charged
with the murder
of her lover, Scott Hunter.
Is that also not so?
Yes, it is.
And that murder took place
in the house that they shared,
where you used to
live with the accused.
Is that not true? Yes.
Now, the police
lieutenant in the charge
of the investigation
has testified
that he found no
evidence of forced entry
into your ex-wife's home.
Do you remember that?
I do.
So that would indicate
that the murderer
was either let in the house
or let himself in.
Would you agree with that?
That would seem to be the case.
The victim was in the
shower at the time of his death,
so it's safe to assume he
didn't let his murderer in.
So the only logical
conclusion is the murderer
had a key.
Would you say that
that makes sense?
That would call for
speculation on my part.
Yes, but not to me.
I believe that
either the accused,
who had a key, let herself in,
or you did.
(gallery murmuring)
Order. (gavel bangs)
Your Honor, I cannot
see what importance
or relevance to this case my
testimony can possibly have.
I think this is, frankly,
a smoke screen, because
the district attorney
knows that he has no
case against the accused.
If you can indulge me for a
few more minutes, Your Honor.
Whatever you're
working for, Mr. McCabe,
please get to it.
Thank you, Your Honor.
The defendant told the police
that she heard shots
that sounded like
they came from the
other end of the house.
If the killer had already
shot Scott Hunter
before your ex-wife came home,
hid in the breezeway
and fired three shots
after your ex-wife
entered the house,
it would look like
she had killed him.
Isn't that so, Mr. Gregg?
That would have
produced six shots?
Ah, that's very
perceptive of you, sir.
Very good. Very good, indeed.
Do you know what
this is, Mr. Gregg?
No, I do not.
Well, let me tell
you what it is.
It's wadding from a
blank cartridge, Mr. Gregg,
and it was found by the police
in the accused's breezeway.
The State submits this
as Exhibit D, Your Honor.
Do you recall being stopped by
the police yesterday, Mr. Gregg?
Oh, yes I do.
Yes and they thought you were
carrying evidence that
would clear the defendant.
And they found nothing.
Absolutely correct, sir.
And they later searched
every possible inch
between your office
and the spot where they
stopped you looking for evidence.
There was nothing to find.
Ah, that's what they thought,
until my investigator
had a bright idea.
Mr. McCabe, no
one wants my client
cleared of the
charges more than I do.
If you have evidence
that will help her,
for Heaven's sake, produce it.
J.L.: I'm about to
do exactly that, sir.
Jake Styles found
these two items together.
Have you ever seen
either of them, Mr. Gregg?
No, I have not.
The State submits these as
Exhibits E and F, Your Honor.
And I would like to also submit
the reports from the
police lab at this time.
They indicate that this silencer
was on the weapon
that fired the three shots
that killed Scott Hunter.
As I've testified,
I have never seen either
of these two objects before.
There are also three blanks
left in this gun, and they
have the same type wadding
as we found in the
defendant's breezeway.
Proving what?
Proving that you were
in the house that night.
Proving that you
killed Scott Hunter.
That is the most bizarre
fabrication I have ever heard
in a lifetime spent
in this profession.
What evidence do you have?
Are my fingerprints
on the silencer?
No.
On the gun?
No.
Then you have nothing.
Nothing at all.
There were no prints on the gun
or on the silencer, that's true.
However, you did make
one mistake, Mr. Gregg.
When Mr. Styles retrieved
the gun from the mailbox,
they found one thing that
hadn't been wiped clean.
Three shells
with your fingerprints on them.
(gallery murmuring)
Order! Order! (gavel bangs)
You took a life, Harrison.
I wish I could
feel pity for you.
But all I have is contempt.
Your Honor, the People move that
the case against Ellen Gregg
be dismissed so that we
can file murder charges
against Harrison Gregg.
(gallery murmuring, whispering)
Harrison
I think you'd better find
yourself a good lawyer.