Law & Order: Criminal Intent (2001) s01e09 Episode Script

Although inspired in part by a true incident the following story is fictional and does not depict any actual person or event.
In New York City's war on crime, the worst criminal offenders are pursued by the detectives of the Major Case Squad.
These are their stories.
All she has to do is keep her head elevated.
Explain that to her.
You can do that, can't you? Going up again tomorrow, Doc? No.
Next Saturday.
Gives you a whole week to clean it.
Did my wife call? If she does, tell her I'll be in the office in half an hour.
I think people who have children to save their marriage are just kidding themselves.
Then why do you want to have children? I just think we lead a selfish life, Peter and me.
You know, with our dinners, and our hobbies.
You think you'd make a good mother? I don't know.
My friends who have kids, they didn't know.
So you make this decision to have a child.
What would you have to change to make yourself ready? I would need to cut out my little mood adjusters once and for all this time.
You think you could do that, Valerie? Peter.
Hi, honey, how was your flight? I got six people here, plus a patient out cold on the table.
Okay, well, I just wanted to hear your voice.
Oh, I found a couch at Palizetti.
You want me to pay for the couch, let me do my job.
We decided on Martinique sometime in February.
Two weeks in the sun.
A romantic holiday.
Oh, right.
Jen, don't start.
I have to be downtown in 20 minutes.
After all he's put you through? Just be my friend, okay? I've got enough judges.
Val, you need to leave Peter.
That's not going to happen.
I wouldn't do that to my parents.
You want to grasp the loose skin on the upper arm and make an incision extending from the elbow to the axilla.
This is where you got to be precise.
Steer clear of the ligaments, underlying musculature, or her arm could come off like the wing of a Thanksgiving turkey.
You look good.
How long can you stay? I've only got an hour.
We need to talk.
Here you are, Dr.
Kelmer.
What's that? Somebody left it for your wife.
Give it to me.
They said she has to sign for it.
Give it to me.
I'll get her signature.
Peter? In here.
I bought something for the Promise Ball.
It's a Judith Leiber.
If you hate it, I'll take it back.
It's nice.
I'm a mess.
I'll see you after my bath? Forget something, Doc? No, I'm going up.
I didn't get a chance to clean her.
Pull the chocks.
What about your flight plan? Your flight plan! Law & Order CI She left just after I went to the hospital around 2:00.
I was in surgeries all evening.
I'm a cosmetic surgeon.
I called her, no answer.
When I got home early Monday morning, she still wasn't back.
When she left, did she say where she was going? No, we'd had a fight.
We just needed to go to our separate corners.
- Do you fight a lot? - No.
Can I go on? Have you talked to her friends? Yes.
Friends, family, everyone I can think of.
I made a list.
All of Valerie's friends, relatives, with their addresses and phone numbers.
On Tuesday I filed a report with Missing Persons.
It's been three days.
Nobody called, so a friend in the mayor's office suggested I come here.
What do you think happened to her? Before we met, Valerie had had psychiatric problems.
She'd attempted suicide seven, eight years ago.
And you think she hurt herself? She threaten something like that? Not to me.
On the list there's a Dr.
Nathanson, her therapist.
I called him and gave him permission to talk to you.
That's very helpful, Doctor.
I got a copy of the report from Missing Persons.
They checked with hospitals and paramedics in all five boroughs.
There's another thing occasionally, Valerie did drugs with her girlfriends.
Cocaine, amphetamines too.
We've had endless discussions about it.
You don't use drugs? Of course not.
Anyway, if something happened to her while she was on drugs well, you wanted to know what I thought.
I put all my numbers on that sheet.
As soon as we find something, we'll call you.
No, I want to get your numbers.
I'll be calling you.
I just don't want to be the last to know.
How do we like being an annex to the Missing Persons Bureau? This friends and neighbors list, it's alphabetized.
I should have him work on my sock drawer.
Guy obviously being a barrel of laughs, I'm taking bets she doesn't want him to find her.
Her cousin Jennifer Barish filed her own Missing Persons report a day before Kelmer did.
She told them she suspects foul play.
Apt.
Of Jennifer Barish Friday, January 12 I knew the minute he called me looking for her I knew Peter had killed her.
A gut feeling? He has terrible temper.
Valerie was scared to death of him.
And she knew he had a mistress.
Did she know who? No, she just knew there was someone.
When's the last time you talked to her? Saturday.
She came over for lunch.
Did she seem depressed? Depressed? What did Peter tell you? That she was suicidal? She wasn't depressed at all.
Dr.
Kelmer told us Valerie's been doing drugs.
Cocaine, uppers.
Not that much.
Who does she do them with? Girlfriends? Boyfriends? This is unfair.
Valerie told me her shrink warned her.
He told her someday Peter was really going to hurt her.
I had to laugh when I got the message from Peter giving me permission to talk to you.
As long as she might be alive, Valerie is the only one who can waive the confidentiality.
As a doctor, Peter bloody well knows that.
Let's put it this way are you concerned about her safety? I'm concerned about any patient who misses two sessions without calling me.
I still can't discuss her situation with you.
I took a few psych classes in college.
How about I give you my opinion? If you agree, you let me know.
How? By coughing twice? Coughing's good.
Here goes.
Kelmer's a control freak.
She's self-destructive.
The more he tries to control her, the more she rebels.
She takes a lover, Kelmer panics, he gets angry, he kills her.
Same scenario, except his efforts to control her lead her to feelings of depression, hopelessness.
She suicides.
She ran away and joined the circus? Oh, was I supposed to cough? Any scenario's possible, Detective.
For now, I have to assume she's still alive.
All right, you have our number.
If you hear from her, please call.
Thank you.
Among her friends and family, even odds it's Kelmer.
Found more candidates in her cell phone records.
These four gentlemen callers weren't on Kelmer's list.
This one, Warren D'Alacosta, Friday and Saturday alone he and Valerie called each other half a dozen times.
I don't know any Valerie whatever.
Must have been a wrong number.
You want to rethink that answer, Mr.
D'Alacosta? We looked into your pedigree couple DUls, couple dope pops, delinquent on your child support.
You drive too fast, drink too much, don't meet your obligations, don't give a damn about anybody.
My partner has a fancy word for people like you Psychopath.
I call them screw ups.
If you want to join the two million of your fellow psychopaths already in jail, just keep lying to the police.
Okay, so I know her.
Is there any reason why you're not inviting us in? So, Warren, weren't you concerned when you didn't hear from Valerie for a week? No.
She said she wanted to stop seeing me.
Why? She said she needed to get serious about her life, her marriage.
Must've been a big disappointment for you.
I knew it wasn't going to last.
Are one of these her? Can we see it, please? It's very nice.
You couldn't pay me enough.
I'll be there in a few hours.
What size shirt do you wear? I have to go.
All done, Doctor.
Have you seen this woman? Apt.
Of Dr.
Peter Kemer Monday, January 15 Dr.
Kelmer came in around 4:00 on Saturday.
I gave him his mail and the hand-delivered envelope addressed to Mrs.
Kelmer.
When did she get home? A few minutes after.
Did you see her on Sunday? Uh, no.
/ How about him? No, no, no.
Are there any other exits in here? No, but the basement connects to the garage next door.
He used to park next to me.
Then he complained about these phantom dings, so he had the condo board move me over here next to this beautiful column.
Were you down here Sunday? Yes.
Around 2:00.
My wife and I drove back from the farm in Pennsylvania.
Did you see Mrs.
Kelmer or the doctor? Just him.
We were unloading the car, and I heard a noise, turned around, and there he was.
Where? Over there, behind his car.
He'd just closed the trunk.
Did you see what was in it? No.
I heard this thunk, and then he got in his car and drove away.
It could've been his wife's body.
It could've been a beach ball.
It could've been nothing.
There's no evidence she's even dead.
I have a strong feeling she is.
I stand corrected.
Then she suicided.
This was a woman, according to her phone records, who spent hours on the phone talking to her friends.
But from Saturday afternoon on, there's not a peep from her.
Maybe she had laryngitis.
I want to go at him with a search warrant for his car, for his apartment.
Goren.
What? Are we worried about the noses he did at City Hall getting bent out of shape? Major Case, Eames speaking.
We'll be right there.
The 2-0 caught a break.
Sarni's Deli Wednesday, January 17 I told the Officers her hairstyle was different.
More swept off her face, you know? But the minute I seen this poster outside, I knew that's the one was in here two days ago.
Was she with anybody? / Nah.
Did she seem okay? She ordered two pounds of Nova.
You have an excellent memory.
You wear those glasses while you work? Only when I'm slicing.
When I'm talking to a customer, I drop them.
Anyone else see her? What about him? He wouldn't know his own mother.
Listen, black leather coat, gray shirt with black trim was what she wore when last seen, right? That's what she had on.
Trust me, it was her.
I don't understand your warrant application.
Wasn't his wife seen in a deli a few days ago? The sighting's unreliable, Your Honor.
The witness is nearsighted.
What's your bedrock evidence? Somebody who thought they heard a car trunk slam shut? Your Honor.
if we search his car and his apartment, and it turns out his wife is alive, where's the harm? It's the Fourth Amendment, Detective, not the 3 2/3 Amendment.
Dr.
Kelmer is entitled to its full protection.
Well, if his wife is dead, people won't see it that way.
They'll see a judge protecting a well-connected doctor.
If I were you, I'd hedge my bets.
I'll grant your warrant.
But only for the auto.
You want to poke around his apartment, you bring me probable cause on a platter.
I like the blue.
I do, too.
It matches your eyes.
I have to reschedule tomorrow afternoon.
I'm getting together with my in-laws to figure out the next move.
Well, what about a private detective? If the police can't do anything, maybe you should Their incompetence amazes me.
I have to do everything.
Why Valerie's doing this to me My poor baby.
Don't furrow your brow like that.
Why? Am I getting lines? I can take care of them.
And I'm going to do something about those cheekbones.
Aren't I beautiful enough for you? Well, why settle for beautiful when you can have perfect? What room are you painting, anyway? The bathroom.
NYPD Impound Lot Pier 58 Friday, January 19 No blood traces, no hair, no tissue.
Car was detailed recently, probably more than once.
You can still smell the shampoo in the floor mats.
Here's the receipt for aviation fuel from Westchester Airport from two months ago.
He's a flyboy.
/ Maybe he took his wife up for a spin Sunday afternoon.
Your doctor's bouncing off the walls in the claims area.
You steal my car, you rip it apart! Didn't you talk to the witness who saw Valerie?! You know us, we're like dumb dogs.
We get a scent and we follow it.
- What scent is that? - The husband's the obvious suspect.
I've been nothing but cooperative with you.
If you wanted to search my car, all you had to do was ask.
We appreciate it.
Does it mean you'll consent to a search of your apartment? You've exhausted my good will, Detectives.
Get a warrant.
Couple of weeks ago, huh? Sunday.
Yeah, I think so.
Saturday he gave me crap about not cleaning the plane.
Can we see the plane? Sure.
It's over there.
You get that a lot? Pilots giving you a hard time? Recreational pilots, you know.
They all think they're Mercury astronauts.
Kelmer a good pilot? Instrument rated.
But I wouldn't fly with him.
Why not? Bad temper.
Can we see his flight plan for Sunday? That's just it.
He didn't file one.
I got him renting a plane that Saturday, then the following Saturday, nothing for Sunday.
You keep records on the computer? I put them in the computer when I have time.
I'm only one woman, sweetheart.
Are you in here alone every day? Yes.
From 7:00 to 6:00.
Except when I have to go to the little girl's room.
That's in the next building.
You lock up? No.
People got to get to the vending machine.
Do you always keep the rental slips under there? Where I can get at them.
And so can everyone else.
Thanks.
I'm going to hire more people, set up a phone bank, and I'm offering a reward of $10,000.
$10,000.
We'll find her, Eleanor.
- What's wrong with her? - You think we believe this? This act you're putting on? What did you do to my Valerie? Me? I can't look at you anymore.
That's it, Go.
You raised her.
All her drugs, her mental problems, her screwing around, that's all on your head.
God will punish you for what you've done.
All I did was turn a shoe salesman's daughter into a surgeon's wife.
Did I ever hear any thanks from you? When do I get consideration for what I'm going through? They make one accusation in public, I'll sue.
You do that, Peter.
Let the world see what a hypocrite you are.
Valerie's the hypocrite.
I'm no fool.
They're be hell to pay when she comes back.
He left his apartment around 2:00 and arrived at the hospital just before 5:00 roughly three hours.
We're giving him half an hour to Westchester, assume the same on the other end.
That leaves an hour and half flying time.
A Cessna Turbo Stationaire makes 178 knots.
That means he could cover this area.
We're going with an ocean dump.
Winds this time of year come from the north.
That means the currents are from east to west, onshore.
Areas of search would be from Long Island from Long Beach to Bridgehampton, and New Jersey from Leonardo down to Cape May.
Dibs on Long Island.
Office Of Medical Examiner Ocean Count, New Jersey Tuesday, January 23 Forgive the facilities.
Jersey legislature hasn't been very generous.
Couple of joggers found her out on the beach early Wednesday.
I was going to get around to an autopsy this weekend.
Any idea on how long she'd been in the water? Two or three weeks.
Here you go.
Female caucasian from the ribcage to the shoulders.
You've found something, haven't you? - You found Valerie.
- We're not sure.
That's why we need her DNA to identify her.
Oh my God.
What did he do to her? We can't talk about it, I'm sorry.
Did she ever leave a hair clip, a hairbrush, anything like that? Last time she was here she used one of my hairbrushes.
You'll let me know, won't you? We will.
Please don't talk about this with anybody.
Especially Dr.
Kelmer.
The less he knows, the better.
There was only one hair root on the brush, but it was enough.
Your bathing beauty is not Valerie Kelmer.
She died from inhaling salt-water, otherwise known as drowning.
As for the missing bits, the arms were wrenched from their sockets, and the neck and lower torso were severed by crushing blows.
From what? An axe? No, a ship's propeller.
So let's check our status here.
No corpus delicti, no evidence of foul play.
No evidence Dr.
Kelmer is guilty of anything except being a son of a bitch.
I miss anything? Kelmer's mystery flight Sunday.
There was no rental slip for it, no flight plan.
Kelmer could've nicked the rental slip.
No flight plan because he didn't file one.
According to the mechanic, who was no fan of the doctor's.
Are you moving Dr.
Kelmer out of the suspect column? I don't think he should be the only one on there.
He's the only one that matters.
The woman had boyfriends coming out of her ears.
She was doing coke, she had a history of suicide attempts.
He thinks we're idiots.
He's playing with us.
I want to shove a stick in Kelmer's cage, see what he does.
What do you got in mind? A leak to the media about finding a torso.
We're going to tell her family it's not her though, right? No, he could find out.
I made a promise to her cousin.
I got to go with Bobby on this one.
- Paper says it's her.
- Might be her.
They said the body had surgical cuts.
Why did they say that? Are you really stupid enough to believe everything you read? Valerie's probably on a beach with one of her cokehead boyfriends having a big laugh because my life's a nightmare.
She's a vindictive bitch.
Didn't I tell you that? If you really think I'm capable of butchering her, maybe we should just end this.
No, Peter, please.
I've had it with recriminations and suspicions from Valerie.
I don't need it from my next wife.
Next wife? I'm divorcing Valerie.
Once this is over, I'm moving my practice to Boulder, and I want you to come with me.
Oh, Peter, this is so sudden.
Yes or no? Yes.
Yes, I'll go with you.
Yes, yes! Dr.
Kelmer's on his way up.
Sorry, just give me a minute here.
Have a seat.
What did you want to talk to us about? What was in the newspapers yesterday? We apologize for that.
Somebody jumped the gun.
There's been no positive ID.
If there were one, you'd be the first person we'd contact.
So you haven't identified this body? No.
It's a difficult ID.
What about fingerprints? It would help if there were fingers.
What? The arms were cut off? We'd rather not discuss details right now until we have an identification.
I can take a look and tell you in a second if it's her.
I'm a doctor.
I'm not squeamish.
It's not necessary.
We appreciate it.
Have you determined a cause of death? Was it a suicide? Doctor, as I told you, - until we have an ID - Damn it, it's like pulling teeth.
I've told you everything I know, and you are telling me nothing.
Is it because you're not making any progress? Fine.
You really want to help us? How about answering a few questions? Go ahead.
The Sunday your wife disappeared, you were seen in a garage putting something in your trunk.
What was it? My briefcase.
I was going to work.
I think I told you that.
What time did you get to the hospital? I don't remember.
Is this an interrogation? If it were one, we'd be in the interrogation room.
When'd you get your pilot's license? Six years ago.
What does that Do you fly every weekend? Yes.
To relieve the stress.
Sunday, after you put your briefcase in your trunk, you drove to Westchester Airport, isn't that right? Now you are interrogating me.
I feel I should have an attorney.
Why? You don't want to be helpful anymore? No.
No, that's not it.
Are we getting into an area that's making you uncomfortable? No, the questions are fine.
Okay.
I didn't go to Westchester.
About this body, you really want to help us identify it? Yes.
We need a sample of your wife's DNA.
She hasn't had any blood work in Anything strands of hair from her brushes She cleaned her brushes and combs every day.
It was almost compulsive.
I'm sure our technicians could find something in your apartment.
You want to search my apartment? You said that you wanted to helps us identify the body.
As long as I can be there, be my guest.
Fresh paint.
- You had this room painted.
- Yes, last week.
Valerie hates what was there before, but I thought it's going to sound stupid, but I thought if I paint it the way she likes, she'll come back.
She hates the bathmats, too? I noticed these are all new.
Valerie dropped a bottle of nail polish before she I just got around to replacing them.
What are they doing? Checking the plumbing for your wife's hair.
Do you mind? As long as they don't break anything.
Pipes look as new as the day they were installed.
Same story with the grouting.
Either he didn't cut her up in here, or he went over this place with a toothbrush and some heavy duty cleansers.
The kind of cleanser that might be used in an operating room? Yeah, like that.
They have stuff that'll eat anything.
Murray Hill Hospital Wednesday, January 31 It's called Virex 256.
There's dozens of bottles of it in the OR prep.
Dr.
Kelmer have access to it? He has access to whatever he wants.
You want to tell me about it? He has women coming into his office all day long taking their clothes off.
He takes advantage? Somebody thought he did.
What do you mean? A few weeks ago, I met Kelmer for lunch, for my bi-annual review.
After he dropped me off at my car, while I was getting in, I saw a man writing down my license plate number.
I guarantee you, no one's following me.
Valerie wouldn't hire a detective to follow Peter.
Didn't she think he was cheating? Well, she wasn't sure.
That's not what you told us.
You said that she knew there was someone.
How did she know? Maybe I overstated.
Ms.
Barish you hired the detective, didn't you? I thought if Valerie saw the truth that she'd have to end it with Peter.
What did the detective find out? He saw Peter kissing another woman.
Someone at the hospital.
I don't know who.
The detective told me on Friday that he had the photos.
That was the Friday before Valerie I told him to send them to her.
I don't know if she ever got them.
The doorman at Valerie's building said he gave Dr.
Kelmer a large envelope addressed to her that Saturday.
He gave it to Peter? He must've seen the photos and Oh my God! What did I do? Lisa Voight? I'm Detective Eames.
This is Detective Goren, and this is a warrant allowing us to search your apartment.
What are you looking for exactly? It's all on the warrant.
Do you know a Dr.
Peter Kelmer? Yes.
I'm an administrator at the hospital where he works.
I don't mean to be rude.
Are you intimately involved with him? We work together.
Any relationship we have is strictly business.
We got these photos from a private investigator.
This thing you're doing to the doctor with your tongue, what business is that, strictly? Gray T-shirt with black trim, and Been to Sarni's Delicatessen lately? Peter said if someone saw Valerie, the police would have to stop wasting their time looking for murder suspects.
He's convinced you she's alive? Of course she's alive.
She's hiding.
She likes torturing Peter.
In your apartment we found a real estate pamphlet for Boulder.
Are you moving there? Yes, with Peter.
We're getting married after he divorces Valerie.
These other pamphlets about cosmetic surgery, is that for you? Yes.
Dr.
Kelmer's idea? Yes.
Before you met Dr.
Kelmer, did you think you needed surgery? Peter has an eye for this kind of thing.
You're a very beautiful woman.
Did you try telling Peter that he's wrong? He's never wrong, is he? Of course I tried Lisa at home.
If she calls in, tell her Dr.
Kelmer's looking for her, all right? Hello, Doctor.
You're under arrest for the murder of your wife.
- What the hell are you doing? - I'm going to handcuff you.
- Just relax.
- Don't tell me what to do.
Hey, hey, down, boy.
- You're hurting me.
- Settle down.
You stupid idiots.
Sticks and stones.
Let's go.
Okay, Doc, this is an interrogation.
First thing, you sit here.
You want the people on the other side of that mirror to see my face? That's okay.
I don't have anything to hide.
Doctor, you're a very smart guy.
Do you recognize this? It's a gray T-shirt with a black trim.
Looks like what my wife was wearing when she disappeared.
How about that? This wig? Okay, you found these things at Lisa Voight's.
You have her under arrest, is that it? I'm sure she explained our little ruse and why it was necessary.
Yes, you trained her very well.
I beg your pardon? Peter, let it go.
/ No.
He insulted a close friend of mine.
She believes everything you tell her.
She's giving up her life to follow you to Colorado? She's even letting you hack into her face because you have an issue with her cheekbones.
Lisa Voight is in love with me.
She's enthralled with you.
She's like a little puppy in your hands, pissing all over herself with excitement.
- How dare you? - But Valerie, Valerie didn't need you to feel alive.
She had her own boyfriends.
You have no idea.
Her own drugs, her own bad habits.
You couldn't push her around.
Where do you get these ridiculous ideas? You couldn't push her around, not like Lisa.
She's under your thumb.
That's where you like your women.
Now, you just shut up! Valerie was a she was a Okay, that's it.
I'm not saying anything else.
I got a case without forensic evidence, a case without I can't even prove beyond a reasonable doubt the victim is even dead.
Everything he's done to cover his tracks is evidence of a guilty mind.
Is there anything we might've missed? We took apart his car, the plane.
We checked with air traffic control along the eastern seaboard in case he turned up on somebody's radar.
Short answer is, what you have now is all the case you're gonna have.
"Trust me.
" Hell of a closing argument.
He did it.
You saw him.
You saw his rage.
I did, Detective.
But the jury never will, and his lawyer is no fool.
She'll never put him up on that stand.
You put me on the stand.
I'll get him up there.
Supreme Court Part 35 Monday, April 23 Dr.
Kelmer made a point of telling us about his wife's psychiatric history, previous suicide attempts, drug use.
He then gave us a list of his wife's family and friends.
Over 200 names and addresses in alphabetical order.
- I found this odd.
- Why is that? Well, the man's wife was allegedly missing.
Any normal person would be far too upset or distracted to make alphabetical lists.
Objection.
He isn't qualified to offer his opinion.
Yes, sustained.
The jury will disregard the witness' last response.
After interviewing Dr.
Kelmer, what did you do next? We interviewed the victim's cousin, Jennifer Barish.
She told us that Valerie's therapist had warned her that some day her husband was going to harm her.
Objection.
Hearsay.
Sustained.
Detective, I know this isn't the first time you've testified in court.
The jury again will disregard.
Did there come a time when you had the opportunity to search Dr.
Kelmer's apartment? Yes.
/ And what, if anything, did you find? The bathtub drains in the master bathroom had been cleaned with Virex 256, the same detergent used to clean the operating rooms at Dr.
Kelmer's hospital.
And this was confirmed by one of Dr.
Kelmer's nurses, who also accused the doctor of cheating on his wife Objection! Your Honor, this is unbelievable.
Yes, yes, Ms.
Barbera.
Detective, one more like that, you're off the stand.
Again, the jury is instructed to disregard the witness's comments.
Go on, Mr.
Carver.
Detective, I'm directing you to confine your answers to my questions.
- Yes, sir.
- Now, what else, if anything, did you find in your search of Dr.
Kelmer's apartment? We found the bathmats had been replaced and the bathroom repainted.
Did the defendant offer an explanation? Just a lot of double-talk, Mr.
Carver.
There's really only one conclusion.
He tried to hide the evidence of a horrible crime.
Murder and dismemberment - Objection! - There's no other explanation! - Detective, that's enough.
- If there is, I'm sure we'd all love to hear it! Do you take me for a moron? They heard what they heard.
If I was on that jury, I'd convict me.
I want to respond.
I want to tell the jury my story.
No, I can't advise you more strongly against this.
The prosecutor will crucify you.
He's a civil servant, Lauren.
How tough can he be? Now, help get me ready.
Supreme Court Part 35 Monday, April 25 I felt the police had just given up on finding Valerie alive.
I felt I had to do something to keep them looking for her.
I didn't care how suspicious it looked.
I'd been totally open with the police.
I'd given them all the information I had.
I allowed them to search my apartment.
And still Valerie's missing, and no one knows what happened to her.
You didn't tell police you had a mistress.
No.
It's not easy to admit that in spite of my feelings for Valerie, our marriage was in trouble.
Dr.
Kelmer, did you kill or cause to be killed, your wife, Valerie Kelmer? No.
As God is my witness no.
Doctor, an earlier witness quoted you as saying that with a couple of well-placed cuts, you could remove an arm as effortlessly as a wing on a Thanksgiving turkey.
Would you mind showing us where those cuts would be? Objection.
Relevance.
I'll allow it, subject to connection.
Go ahead, Doctor.
Across that group of muscles right there.
The deltoid, teres and pectoralis muscle? - Yes.
- The People's 47 through 64.
These are the knives the police found in your apartment.
Now, to cut those muscles, what's the best knife? The serrated one, or the boning knife here? Which one, Doctor? Either one, I guess.
I don't want you to guess.
The boning knife would be fine.
As a surgeon, what's the right stroke? Like this? Only if you wanted to sprain your wrist.
Please demonstrate the proper technique.
You find this amusing, Doctor? Show us.
You put a lot of thought into your surgeries, don't you doctor? Every incision is mapped out? Yes, of course.
You bring the same attention to detail to your flying, even to making lists.
Now, that's not fair.
I'm methodical and thorough, but you can't draw inferences from that.
If you're so methodical and thorough, how did you end up married to a promiscuous, suicidal drug addict? I resent that.
Marrying Valerie was not a mistake.
Well, she's missing, and you're here on trial for her murder.
Wouldn't you say something went wrong? I did not make a mistake.
She's the one doing drugs and sleeping around.
She walked out on the marriage.
How about severing a leg at the knee? What muscles would you cut? - What? - What muscles would you cut? The gracilis and vastus muscles.
Before she met you, Valerie had never traveled outside the country, right? Furthest she'd been was New Jersey.
Never been to a charity ball, eaten at a four-star restaurant? No, of course not.
Marrying a well-respected plastic surgeon was a big step up.
I would think so.
/ And she showed her gratitude by buying drugs with your money, having sex with strangers? You'd have to ask her.
Painters, personal trainers? - See what I put up with? - You're no angel yourself, Doctor.
You have affairs with all the hospital staff.
Just with one individual.
Her behavior drove you to have an affair.
Yes, of course.
She made you do this.
Yes.
When you saw this, you thought how dare she have you followed? How dare she question what you do?! Yes, yes.
She is trying to get power over you, this ingrate, this nobody who'd never been anywhere! How dare she?! This is all your fault! You stupid cow! You and your low-rent family, you just couldn't mind your own damn business! You just had to meddle! Supreme Court Part 35 Monday, April 30 Madam Foreman, on the sole count of the indictment, murder in the second degree, how do you find? We the jury in the above entitled action, find the defendant, Peter Kelmer, guilty.
Did you see his face? He couldn't believe it.
He's not the only one.
He wasn't convicted on the evidence.
He was convicted because the jury didn't like him.
I make my living putting my trust in juries.
Now is not the time to stop.
I'll take them any way they come.