Dynasty s05e06 Episode Script
The Verdict
Oh, why has Steven been called as a witness against me? lf he had something to say, why didn't he come tell me? l don't know.
Alexis, there is no way you'll ever be punished for something you didn't do.
Punished? l've already been punished enough, Dex.
Where's Mark Jennings' real killer? He's out there somewhere watching me suffer.
- Blake.
- Yes, darling.
Where are you going? l'm on my way to the bank to see Avril Dawson.
lt never fails, it happens all at once.
l just got a call.
Our biggest field, Carrington One, is dying up.
That's terrible.
l'm gonna have to find enough money to get our other fields operational before our cash flow dries up.
And the mortgage, which Alexis holds on this house, is due the day after tomorrow.
Blake, Steven's been called to testify.
Testify about what? Against Alexis.
Why? He saw what happened that night.
And you knew about it? Yes, he told me.
That's what's been troubling you.
Why didn't Steven come to me? Why didn't you come to me and tell me that? Well, he made me promise not to tell anyone.
And l had to keep that promise.
Now they're gonna force him to crucify his own mother.
WOMAN: Be a man, come back here.
- Truce, please.
WOMAN: Come back here.
Ha, ha.
- No.
Truce.
Now, time out.
Time out.
Time out, all right? Jeff, l've been looking for you.
Well, l like to get my exercise early.
l thought maybe we could have lunch together.
Maybe something in my suite? Sory, but l'm tied up for lunch.
You should stay away from junk food.
Well, how about dinner? l can't.
l shouldn't.
But l'll call you when l get back from Barbados.
You really keep the turnstile whirling, Jeff Colby, don't you? What do you mean? Well, l never knew you when you were married to Fallon Carrington.
l was away at college.
But if you carried on like this, it's no wonder she divorced you.
Strangely enough, l think she divorced me because l didn't cary on like this.
lt seems to me she preferred a man who did.
MAN [ON RADlO.]
: _ new turn in the much publicised murder trial of wealthy Denver businesswoman Alexis Colby.
This a Fternoon her son, Steven Carrington, has been called by the prosecution and speculation runs high regarding the testimony that this surprise witness will offer against his mother.
Cunningham, what the hell do you mean calling my brother a surprise witness for the prosecution? Mr.
Carrington, you'll conduct yourself in here during this recess with the same decorum and respect for the bench that l demand in my courtroom.
Thank you.
Your Honour, information was received by my office today while court was in session, placing Steven Carrington at the scene of the crime when Mark Jennings was pushed to his death.
Now this information contained facts which were never disclosed publicly, facts which only someone present that night could know.
The State wants to know from Steven Carrington exactly what he saw.
ADAM: Your Honour, this is incredible.
The defence has been given no time to question this witness.
Neither has the State, Your Honour.
The iuy deserves to hear this testimony.
l agree.
Gentlemen, this trial will resume as scheduled.
CUNNINGHAM: Mr.
Carrington.
May l call you Steven? Where were you the night that Mark Jennings died? At my sister Fallon's engagement party.
CUNNINGHAM: That was a vey big night for the family, wasn't it? Eveyone was there, including the accused, your mother.
Yes, the whole family was there.
Steven, where were you before arriving at the party? At my office.
l had some business to handle at Colbyco, so l was a little late.
Between working late at Colbyco and attending the party, were you anmhere in the vicinity of Alexis Colby's hotel that night? Steven.
Were you at Alexis Colby's hotel the night Mark Jennings died? l was, yes.
[CROWD MURMURING.]
- Did he tell you that? - No, he did not, he never mentioned it.
Now, would you please tell the court and the juy why you were there? l had some papers for my mother to sign.
So your mother signed the papers and you went off to the party together? And of course you can produce these papers? l never gave her the papers.
Why not? l never gave her the papers because l couldn't go into the hotel af-- After what? After seeing Mark Jennings fall to his death? Obiection.
The Deputy District Attorney is leading the witness.
Overruled.
Answer the question, Mr.
Carrington.
l saw a man fall into the street.
[CROWD MURMURING.]
[GAVEL BANGING.]
From where did you see this man fall? From my mother's terrace.
[CROWD MURMURING AND GAvEL BANGING.]
JUDGE: Quiet.
So you saw a man fall from your mother's terrace to the street.
Steven, you didn't know whether he was alive or dead, and you left him there? You didn't phone the paramedics, you didn't offer any help? You iust went off calmly partying into the night? l did call the paramedics but l didn't identify myself.
l left.
CUNNINGHAM: Why? Because you didn't care if this man died? No.
Because he didn't fall.
Because you saw someone push Mark Jennings.
Obiection.
Leading the witness.
Overruled.
Answer the question, Mr.
Carrington.
Yes, because l saw somebody push Mark Jennings.
[CROWD MURMURING.]
Who did you see? l saw my mother.
[CROWD GASP.]
lt's a lie.
[CROWD MURMURING.]
[GAVEL BANGING.]
JUDGE: Order in the court.
l didn't do it.
Steven, how could you do this to me? l'm your mother.
JUDGE: Quiet.
ADAM: The prosecution has painted you as a loving son.
lsn't it true, that since beginning work at Colbyco, you've had your Well, shall we say, your differences with your employer? Your mother, the defendant, Alexis Colby? Some differences of opinion, yes.
Hasn't the defendant continually promised you authority in Colbyco only to snatch it away? Constantly undermining your position, ignoring your advice, overriding your opinion, in short, humiliating you? Obiection, Your Honour.
- Badgering the witness.
- Sustained.
Mr.
Carrington, l've warned you about excesses in my courtroom.
l don't wanna have to do it again.
Vey well, Your Honour.
lsn't it true that by securing the conviction of Alexis Colby through your testimony, perjured or not, you stand to gain total and complete control of Colbyco for yourself? No.
That is a damned lie.
The defence is finished with this witness.
JUDGE: Mr.
Cunningham.
Redirect? Oh, yes, Your Honour.
Steven, do you love your mother? Yes, l do.
Vey much.
Then could you possibly ever testify as you have done if you were not absolutely certain, if you were not driven by the truth, by facts that you yourself, Steven, observed? l'm sure of what l saw.
CUNNINGHAM: Good.
Now, will you describe, Steven, for the court and for the iuy the woman that you saw push Mark Jennings off the terrace? lt was my mother.
Yes.
Yes, l know.
But what was it that made you certain it was your mother and not iust some other woman? Because l know my mother.
- Her hair.
- And what else, Steven? And her dress.
Specially made for Fallon's party.
lt had been delivered to the office that afternoon.
lt was a black, beaded dress with a matching black cape.
The same dress she wore to the party? Yes.
The vey same dress you saw from the street below as you watched Mark Jennings fall screaming to his death? Yes.
[CROWD MURMURING.]
[GAVEL BANGING.]
What do you want? Forgiveness? l iust wanna hear the truth.
From you.
You don't want the truth, you want vindication.
You want me to confess, so you can sleep at night.
Mother, l saw you on the terrace.
No, you did not.
l don't know what you saw in your warped hallucinations about me.
But l did not kill Mark.
Oh, Steven, l would expect this from my enemies, but from you, of all people.
l loved you.
l accepted your gay lifestyle when the rest of the family turned their backs on you.
lncluding your father.
Well, you can crawl right back to him now.
Because l disown you, l no longer have a son named Steven.
J.
J.
, relax.
Have some fresh tangerine juice.
You don't get enough of that in New York, living on Scotch and coffee.
l wouldn't sign that paper.
Why not? You got the price l wanted for the casino in St.
Martin? And the club in Marbella.
You've done an excellent job.
Brady is going to explode when he sees this.
Your husband was in my New York offices, nosing around the books.
And why would he be poking around like that? He is a large stockholder in your company.
Maybe he's getting wise to the fact that you are making some vey questionable transactions involving some vey big bucks.
And you're concerned too, huh? Maybe even commiserating with Brady about my e_ravagant new business propositions, right? Come on, Dominique, you know l would never go behind your back.
But l'm warning you.
lf you wanna keep your husband.
l will handle Brady and l'll keep him.
And l'll get eveything else l've always wanted.
MAN [ON RADlO.]
: roday, multi-millionaire oilman Billy Waite testified in Alexis Colby's defence.
Won't you have a seat? l took the liberty of ordering a snack.
And l think this is your favourite champagne.
And of course the caviar's Petrossian.
Would you like some? Well, maybe l better save my answer until l find out what this is all about.
Fifty million dollars? Fifty million dollars from me.
Fifty-one percent of Denver-Carrington from you.
lsn't that the answer to all your problems? No.
No? Denver-Carrington has always been a family-held corporation.
Yes, l agree.
A family-held corporation.
And l am family.
l thought this might convince you.
l am Denver-Carrington.
l control the company, always have, always will.
And l wouldn't give 51 percent away to anyone, for any amount.
Blake, this is my final offer.
One time and one time only.
Nice to see you again.
Forty percent of Denver-Carrington, $70 million.
lt's a deal.
All right, now.
- Why? - Why? lt's iust business.
l'm expanding.
l wanna get in on the ground floor of a good, big oil deal and you're the best.
You're gonna make me a fortune, Blake.
That and what else? What else? To be a Carrington.
At any cost.
Here's to us.
Partner.
Well, what a surprise.
- Are you here to gloat, Blake? - No, l'm here on business.
Twelve-point-two million dollars.
l believe that settles your mortgage on my home.
Don't give me that, Blake.
You could have sent your lamer with this cheque.
You're here for another reason, aren't you? Steven.
Yes.
Now, whether you pushed Jennings or not, you've got to think of our son, Alexis.
lt's iust as agonising for him.
You must ty to forgive him, for your sake as well as his.
Forgive? l don't forgive my enemies, Blake.
Now you managed to get out of the hole that l dug for you.
And l'm gonna get out of the hole that's been dug for me by you and Steven and whomever else.
lt's not over yet, Blake.
And it won't be until l've repaid eveybody for their treachey ten times over.
God help you, Alexis.
And God help all of you, Blake.
Blake, l don't understand.
Why would Adam put me on the stand? Ask me to testify for the defence? He's her lamer, he's just doing his job.
There must be something that you said when he interviewed you that made him believe that you could establish some sort of reasonable doubt in the minds of the jurors.
When there's no doubt in my mind? Blake, l believe Alexis is guilty.
l know Steven wouldn't lie.
- Blake, hello.
- Why, hello, Hal.
- l hope l'm not interrupting.
- No, no, not at all.
Darling, this is Hal Lombard, an old business acquaintance of mine.
This is my wife, Kystle.
- A pleasure, Mrs.
Carrington.
- Hello.
You mind if l ioin you for a few minutes? No.
Fine.
Good, because this particular Oklahoman would like to lodge a complaint with you, Blake.
Oh, what about? Well, let me put it this way.
Uh-- l ran into Billy Waite out in the airport and he told me about your talks.
You know, the South China Sea deal.
l don't mind telling you l'm a little hurt that you never came to me about it.
lt's a high risk deal, Hal, and you, uh-- You like to cover your bets.
Oh, l do, l do, but from what l've heard, if this one ever pays off, it's gonna be a jackpot.
lt is.
And what do you think, Mrs.
Carrington? Oh, l know it is.
Well, maybe we should pursue this.
l mean, when a vey beautiful woman gives a proiect her blessing, even though it is her husband's, l'm swayable.
That is, if there's still room for a good friend who has some ready cash to spend.
l'll keep you in mind when the ne_ big one comes along, Hal.
l can always find a way for a friend to part with a little of his money.
Where are you staying? With the Morrison's, where l'd rather not be staying.
Oh, why not? See, they have these teenage grandchildren.
The grandchildren are visiting.
The grandchildren play loud music on those portable squawk boxes they cary with them all day and half the night.
There's six of those little monsters.
But l don't want you to think that this is my way of asking if l can stay with you, folks, for the ne_ few days.
Hal, how would you like to stay with us for the ne_ few days? l'll move my bags in tonight.
lf that's all right with you, Mrs.
Carrington.
Oh, of course it is.
Well, l'll iust do that then.
- See you both later.
- Right.
Well, he seems vey nice.
He's not.
He makes Billy Waite Iook like an angel among angels.
Then why did you ask him to stay at our house? Well, this isn't social, darling.
This is business.
He happens to have a sizeable amount of money, and l might need him.
Besides, as he said, it's only for a couple of days.
ADAM: Mrs.
Carrington, you were at one time married to the deceased, Mark Jennings.
Is that true? KRYSTLE : Yes, it is.
ADAM: A rather short-lived marriage.
- That's correct.
What is your present relationship with the defendant, Alexis Colby? We've had our differences.
l would call my relationship with her often strained.
ADAM: Would you describe your last conversation with Mark Jennings? Well, l saw Mark a few hours before his death.
He came to say goodbye.
He said he was leaving Denver, probably for New York.
- Did he mention Alexis Colby? - Yes.
What did he say? KRYSTLE : They weren't getting along.
Exactly how did he describe Mrs.
Colby? KRYSTLE : Well, he said she was a nuisance.
ADAM: Just a nuisance? That's rather a mild term for someone the prosecution's been tying to present as being as violent, as vicious as Catherine de Medici.
Wouldn't you say? That was Mark's word, not mine.
At any time at all, did he indicate to you that he was afraid of someone or something? That he was running for his life? Well, he did say that he felt as if he was on top of the world and he knew someone who'd like to push him off of that world.
Was there any hint of a threat against his life? A specific threat from Alexis Colby? No.
JUDGE: Mr.
Cunningham, cross-examination? CUNNINGHAM: Mrs.
Carrington.
lf Mark Jennings were blackmailing Alexis Colby and was indeed afraid for his life, would he have confided in you? Obiection.
Calls for speculation.
The Deputy District Attorney is asking this witness to read the deceased's mind.
Sustained.
Withdrawn.
No further questions, Your Honour.
JUDGE: The witness is excused.
This court will reconvene at 2:OO.
BALIFF: All rise.
l think Kystle's testimony was just right.
Just enough to put doubt in the minds of the juy.
She was simply superb, a veritable angel from heaven.
l'm sure the iuy would have believed her if she told them the sky was green.
She certainly didn't hurt you.
And for that l should be grateful? No, you're right.
Had the situation been reversed and l would have l taken the stand, l could have had her burned as a witch in less than three minutes.
No, she didn't do me any harm.
But did she do me any good? lt's a slow building process, mother.
Reasonable doubt.
And they have Steven as an eyewitness.
Yes.
l'm gonna call your houseman and have him testify that you were in the shower.
Also, l'm gonna take the juy to your building and have them iudge for themselves whether anyone standing on your terrace could be identified from the street.
Adam, there's only one person that you can call to the stand to win this case.
The only one who knows the truth.
- Me.
- Absolutely not.
l won't let you do that to yourself.
You'll wreck eveything l've built in that courtroom.
Mother, l'm tying to save your life and l can't represent you if you insist on destroying your own case.
- You can't? - No.
Well, then, you leave me no choice.
You've done an excellent iob, Adam, but l cannot win unless l take the stand.
Oh, for God's sake, mother.
You'll hang yourself.
Adam, l do not intend to spend the rest of my life in prison.
Now, l am going to win.
And if you're not with me, you're against me.
And l'm firing you.
Mrs.
Colby, l cannot caution you strongly enough against this perilous decision to defend yourself.
l urge you, take advantage of this opportunity to reconsider and appoint a new attorney.
Judge Ma_ield, l'm completely within my rights to represent myself in this action.
l'm aware of the risks involved, and l'm fully competent to defend myself, and l shall.
l'll need no other counsel.
You're sure of that? l'm absolutely sure.
Ladies and gentlemen.
l know that l must speak directly to you for the simple reason that l alone know the truth about what l did or did not do.
JUDGE: Mrs.
Colby.
Will you tell the court what happened the night Mark Jennings died? Yes.
Ahem.
l was late for my daughter's engagement party.
When l had come home, l was in a rush.
Mark was there.
He was still employed as my bodyguard, and he was vey, vey drunk.
He insisted upon talking to me.
He wanted to tell me that he didn't want to leave Denver.
He wanted to believe that l still needed him.
l assured him that that was not true.
And was there a quarrel? No.
Not a quarrel.
Mark Mark wanted to make love.
l told him that that relationship had been over between us for a long time.
l went upstairs and l showered and changed.
When l came down, he had gone.
l assumed that he'd left.
My chauffeur then drove me to the party and soon after l arrived there, l l found out what had happened to him.
Mrs.
Colby, l congratulate you on taking the stand.
l'm sure we all do.
And l must say that you present a vey impressive witness on your own behalf.
You dressed in a hury and left.
What did you wear, Mrs.
Colby? A black beaded dress.
A black beaded dress and a cape.
Both of which you had made especially for the party? No.
No, l never wore the cape.
l found out at the last minute that it hadn't delivered to my apartment.
l took a fur instead.
Then Steven Carrington couldn't have seen you wearing that cape on that terrace pushing Mark Jennings to his death? No.
l never wore the cape.
Eveyone at the party could testify to that.
People's four.
Do you recognise this cape, Mrs.
Colby? lt does have your initials inside.
This is the cape you intended to wear to the party that night.
This is the cape Steven Carrington described, or is it not? Yes.
Yes, it is mine, but Can you explain why the police found this cape stuffed in a garbage can behind the apartment building ne_ to your hotel? No.
l told you it was never delivered to me.
Perhaps this tear was made by Mark Jennings in a last desperate attempt to grab this as you pushed him from the terrace.
ls that true, Mrs.
Colby? No, that's not true.
Then you took this ripped cape which you, of course, could not wear in public, and disposed of it and went on to the party.
True, Mrs.
Colby? No.
No.
Are we really to believe, Mrs.
Colby, that when you refused to go to bed with Mark Jennings, this athletic and well-built man just crawled away without a whimper especially after he had iust forced you to pay him $100,OOO? l gave him the money to get out of town.
lt was my choice to give it to him.
He was becoming a nuisance.
So Mark Jennings took your $1 OO,OOO and then reneged on the bargain.
You paid him to leave.
He wasn't leaving.
Mrs.
Colby, Mark Jennings was in control, wasn't he? No.
Control? He wasn't in control.
He was a liar and a cheat.
He was a hustler and a blackmailer.
He was beneath contempt.
Did he deserve to die? Oh, yes, if anyone deserved to die, he did.
[CROWD MURMURING.]
JUDGE: Quiet.
No further questions, Your Honour.
But l didn't kill him.
l did not kill him! JUDGE: Mrs.
Colby.
ALEXIS: l did not.
JUDGE: Order.
Order.
Bailiff.
Bailiff, restrain that woman.
[GAVEL BANGING.]
MAN [ON TM: And one of the most flamboyant trials in the histoy of Denver will come to a conclusion tomorrow as Alexis Colby, in her own defence, will present her summation to the juy tying to defuse the allegedly damaging testimony of her son, Steven Carrington.
[TV TURNS OFF.]
l can't believe Alexis is defending herself, Blake.
What must Steven be going through? Ooh.
Why stop? - Felt good for both of us.
- How dare you! Take it easy.
No harm done.
- What do you think you're doing? - You were feeling sory for Steven.
How about a little concern for poor old far-from-home Hal? Because l am lonely, Kystle.
l've got no place to go back to.
No, iust got divorced and the kids, they're not speaking to me, and she's out dating another guy already and doesn't care.
- l need somebody to care.
- Get away from me.
l'm going upstairs.
l iust wish l could ioin you.
You seem to have forgotten something.
l'm Blake's wife.
His incredibly beautiful wife.
His pregnant wife.
l don't care what business you have with my husband, l want you out of this house.
- Is that an order? - Yes.
Blake might not approve.
l want you out of here.
lt's been a pleasure.
Heh, heh.
Well, nearly.
Good evening, darling.
How was your day? What's the matter? Is there something wrong? l iust threw Hal Lombard out of the house.
- What happened? - You're right, Blake.
He's not a vey nice man.
Yes, but you didn't tell me.
What happened? He made a pass at me.
He did? [SCOFFS.]
Well, you mustn't take him too seriously.
Hal Lombard is the kind of guy who thinks his one mission in life is to flatter evey beautiful woman that's around.
Well, l don't find that flattering.
l find it offensive.
l'm sure that you put him in his place.
l'll have a few well-chosen words with him, anmay.
- l hope l never have to see him again.
- You won't.
l'll conduct all my business with him from now on at the office, all right? Are you saying you're still gonna do business with him? Of course.
l don't have the luxuy of choosing the people l do business with.
And so ladies and gentlemen of the juy, the prosecution has proved beyond any reasonable doubt that we know the cold-blooded murderer of Mark Jennings.
That person is Alexis Colby.
She had the motive, she had the opportunity and she had the capability.
The motive was blackmail.
The opportunity? We established Alexis Colby was in her penthouse at the time of the murder.
lf any one of you still has the slightest doubt as to her guilt, l ask only that you recall the heart-wrenching testimony of her son reluctantly testifying to the absolute guilt of his own mother whom he loves.
There is only one conclusion.
lt is undeniable.
lt is supported by the evidence.
And now it is your duty, under the law, to render that undeniable conclusion.
Alexis Colby is guilty of murder in the first degree.
Ladies and gentlemen of the iuy, Mr.
Cunningham is wrong.
Perhaps you think of me as a woman who has too much, who has lived too well.
Well, that may or may not be true.
But right now l am a woman who is being victimized.
l am being blamed for a murder that l did not commit.
l have no witnesses.
l have no dramatic surprises to prove my innocence.
All l can tell you is the truth.
Yes.
l wanted Mark Jennings out of my life, but l did not wish him dead.
Yes, l gave him $100,OOO, but he was blackmailing me, and l paid the price of my indiscretions.
l am guilty of many things.
Stone me for the sins that l have committed, and l'll stand before you and say, ''l took my chances.
'' But l beg you, do not condemn me for a crime that l did not commit.
My son.
My own son, Steven, stands as my main accuser.
lf he says that he saw a figure on my terrace that night, l believe him.
But it was not l.
l swear to God Almighty.
l did not kill Mark Jennings.
- Any word? - No.
l was wrong to have fired you.
l really needed you.
You were wrong to testify, Mother, that's what hurt you.
But if your closing argument didn't win the hearts of that juy l don't know anything about the art of defence.
Thank you, darling.
At least l have one son who cares.
[GASPS.]
What are you doing here? l was iust going over it again.
Some little lie that you can add to assure Alexis' conviction.
You've done a more than adequate job already.
ln fact, l ought to toss you over this terrace myself.
- Dex, it was the truth.
- The truth? What is the truth to you? The testimony that you gave that could put your mother in the electric chair? Nuh-uh.
The truth is you hate your mother.
Love-hate.
- That is the sick name for it, isn't it? - Enough.
Oh, no, now we get down to the truth of it, don't we? That really strikes a nerve.
The same one Alexis strikes in you because you blame her for turning you into the snivelling fag that you are and always have been.
[GRUNTING.]
[PANTING.]
Yes.
Yes, thank you vey much.
Well, the iuy's reached a verdict.
They'll be coming back in in a few minutes.
l think we'd better go.
- Steven.
- Yeah.
lt's over.
They've reached a verdict.
Mrs.
Colby, you'd better get dressed.
The juy is in.
JUDGE: Does the juy have a verdict? Yes, we have, Your Honour.
Will the defendant please rise? The court clerk will read the verdict.
We, the iuy in the above-entitled case find the defendant, Alexis Colby, guilty of murder in the first degree.
Oh, God.
[CROWD MURMURING.]
Oh, this can't be happening.
Alexis, there is no way you'll ever be punished for something you didn't do.
Punished? l've already been punished enough, Dex.
Where's Mark Jennings' real killer? He's out there somewhere watching me suffer.
- Blake.
- Yes, darling.
Where are you going? l'm on my way to the bank to see Avril Dawson.
lt never fails, it happens all at once.
l just got a call.
Our biggest field, Carrington One, is dying up.
That's terrible.
l'm gonna have to find enough money to get our other fields operational before our cash flow dries up.
And the mortgage, which Alexis holds on this house, is due the day after tomorrow.
Blake, Steven's been called to testify.
Testify about what? Against Alexis.
Why? He saw what happened that night.
And you knew about it? Yes, he told me.
That's what's been troubling you.
Why didn't Steven come to me? Why didn't you come to me and tell me that? Well, he made me promise not to tell anyone.
And l had to keep that promise.
Now they're gonna force him to crucify his own mother.
WOMAN: Be a man, come back here.
- Truce, please.
WOMAN: Come back here.
Ha, ha.
- No.
Truce.
Now, time out.
Time out.
Time out, all right? Jeff, l've been looking for you.
Well, l like to get my exercise early.
l thought maybe we could have lunch together.
Maybe something in my suite? Sory, but l'm tied up for lunch.
You should stay away from junk food.
Well, how about dinner? l can't.
l shouldn't.
But l'll call you when l get back from Barbados.
You really keep the turnstile whirling, Jeff Colby, don't you? What do you mean? Well, l never knew you when you were married to Fallon Carrington.
l was away at college.
But if you carried on like this, it's no wonder she divorced you.
Strangely enough, l think she divorced me because l didn't cary on like this.
lt seems to me she preferred a man who did.
MAN [ON RADlO.]
: _ new turn in the much publicised murder trial of wealthy Denver businesswoman Alexis Colby.
This a Fternoon her son, Steven Carrington, has been called by the prosecution and speculation runs high regarding the testimony that this surprise witness will offer against his mother.
Cunningham, what the hell do you mean calling my brother a surprise witness for the prosecution? Mr.
Carrington, you'll conduct yourself in here during this recess with the same decorum and respect for the bench that l demand in my courtroom.
Thank you.
Your Honour, information was received by my office today while court was in session, placing Steven Carrington at the scene of the crime when Mark Jennings was pushed to his death.
Now this information contained facts which were never disclosed publicly, facts which only someone present that night could know.
The State wants to know from Steven Carrington exactly what he saw.
ADAM: Your Honour, this is incredible.
The defence has been given no time to question this witness.
Neither has the State, Your Honour.
The iuy deserves to hear this testimony.
l agree.
Gentlemen, this trial will resume as scheduled.
CUNNINGHAM: Mr.
Carrington.
May l call you Steven? Where were you the night that Mark Jennings died? At my sister Fallon's engagement party.
CUNNINGHAM: That was a vey big night for the family, wasn't it? Eveyone was there, including the accused, your mother.
Yes, the whole family was there.
Steven, where were you before arriving at the party? At my office.
l had some business to handle at Colbyco, so l was a little late.
Between working late at Colbyco and attending the party, were you anmhere in the vicinity of Alexis Colby's hotel that night? Steven.
Were you at Alexis Colby's hotel the night Mark Jennings died? l was, yes.
[CROWD MURMURING.]
- Did he tell you that? - No, he did not, he never mentioned it.
Now, would you please tell the court and the juy why you were there? l had some papers for my mother to sign.
So your mother signed the papers and you went off to the party together? And of course you can produce these papers? l never gave her the papers.
Why not? l never gave her the papers because l couldn't go into the hotel af-- After what? After seeing Mark Jennings fall to his death? Obiection.
The Deputy District Attorney is leading the witness.
Overruled.
Answer the question, Mr.
Carrington.
l saw a man fall into the street.
[CROWD MURMURING.]
[GAVEL BANGING.]
From where did you see this man fall? From my mother's terrace.
[CROWD MURMURING AND GAvEL BANGING.]
JUDGE: Quiet.
So you saw a man fall from your mother's terrace to the street.
Steven, you didn't know whether he was alive or dead, and you left him there? You didn't phone the paramedics, you didn't offer any help? You iust went off calmly partying into the night? l did call the paramedics but l didn't identify myself.
l left.
CUNNINGHAM: Why? Because you didn't care if this man died? No.
Because he didn't fall.
Because you saw someone push Mark Jennings.
Obiection.
Leading the witness.
Overruled.
Answer the question, Mr.
Carrington.
Yes, because l saw somebody push Mark Jennings.
[CROWD MURMURING.]
Who did you see? l saw my mother.
[CROWD GASP.]
lt's a lie.
[CROWD MURMURING.]
[GAVEL BANGING.]
JUDGE: Order in the court.
l didn't do it.
Steven, how could you do this to me? l'm your mother.
JUDGE: Quiet.
ADAM: The prosecution has painted you as a loving son.
lsn't it true, that since beginning work at Colbyco, you've had your Well, shall we say, your differences with your employer? Your mother, the defendant, Alexis Colby? Some differences of opinion, yes.
Hasn't the defendant continually promised you authority in Colbyco only to snatch it away? Constantly undermining your position, ignoring your advice, overriding your opinion, in short, humiliating you? Obiection, Your Honour.
- Badgering the witness.
- Sustained.
Mr.
Carrington, l've warned you about excesses in my courtroom.
l don't wanna have to do it again.
Vey well, Your Honour.
lsn't it true that by securing the conviction of Alexis Colby through your testimony, perjured or not, you stand to gain total and complete control of Colbyco for yourself? No.
That is a damned lie.
The defence is finished with this witness.
JUDGE: Mr.
Cunningham.
Redirect? Oh, yes, Your Honour.
Steven, do you love your mother? Yes, l do.
Vey much.
Then could you possibly ever testify as you have done if you were not absolutely certain, if you were not driven by the truth, by facts that you yourself, Steven, observed? l'm sure of what l saw.
CUNNINGHAM: Good.
Now, will you describe, Steven, for the court and for the iuy the woman that you saw push Mark Jennings off the terrace? lt was my mother.
Yes.
Yes, l know.
But what was it that made you certain it was your mother and not iust some other woman? Because l know my mother.
- Her hair.
- And what else, Steven? And her dress.
Specially made for Fallon's party.
lt had been delivered to the office that afternoon.
lt was a black, beaded dress with a matching black cape.
The same dress she wore to the party? Yes.
The vey same dress you saw from the street below as you watched Mark Jennings fall screaming to his death? Yes.
[CROWD MURMURING.]
[GAVEL BANGING.]
What do you want? Forgiveness? l iust wanna hear the truth.
From you.
You don't want the truth, you want vindication.
You want me to confess, so you can sleep at night.
Mother, l saw you on the terrace.
No, you did not.
l don't know what you saw in your warped hallucinations about me.
But l did not kill Mark.
Oh, Steven, l would expect this from my enemies, but from you, of all people.
l loved you.
l accepted your gay lifestyle when the rest of the family turned their backs on you.
lncluding your father.
Well, you can crawl right back to him now.
Because l disown you, l no longer have a son named Steven.
J.
J.
, relax.
Have some fresh tangerine juice.
You don't get enough of that in New York, living on Scotch and coffee.
l wouldn't sign that paper.
Why not? You got the price l wanted for the casino in St.
Martin? And the club in Marbella.
You've done an excellent job.
Brady is going to explode when he sees this.
Your husband was in my New York offices, nosing around the books.
And why would he be poking around like that? He is a large stockholder in your company.
Maybe he's getting wise to the fact that you are making some vey questionable transactions involving some vey big bucks.
And you're concerned too, huh? Maybe even commiserating with Brady about my e_ravagant new business propositions, right? Come on, Dominique, you know l would never go behind your back.
But l'm warning you.
lf you wanna keep your husband.
l will handle Brady and l'll keep him.
And l'll get eveything else l've always wanted.
MAN [ON RADlO.]
: roday, multi-millionaire oilman Billy Waite testified in Alexis Colby's defence.
Won't you have a seat? l took the liberty of ordering a snack.
And l think this is your favourite champagne.
And of course the caviar's Petrossian.
Would you like some? Well, maybe l better save my answer until l find out what this is all about.
Fifty million dollars? Fifty million dollars from me.
Fifty-one percent of Denver-Carrington from you.
lsn't that the answer to all your problems? No.
No? Denver-Carrington has always been a family-held corporation.
Yes, l agree.
A family-held corporation.
And l am family.
l thought this might convince you.
l am Denver-Carrington.
l control the company, always have, always will.
And l wouldn't give 51 percent away to anyone, for any amount.
Blake, this is my final offer.
One time and one time only.
Nice to see you again.
Forty percent of Denver-Carrington, $70 million.
lt's a deal.
All right, now.
- Why? - Why? lt's iust business.
l'm expanding.
l wanna get in on the ground floor of a good, big oil deal and you're the best.
You're gonna make me a fortune, Blake.
That and what else? What else? To be a Carrington.
At any cost.
Here's to us.
Partner.
Well, what a surprise.
- Are you here to gloat, Blake? - No, l'm here on business.
Twelve-point-two million dollars.
l believe that settles your mortgage on my home.
Don't give me that, Blake.
You could have sent your lamer with this cheque.
You're here for another reason, aren't you? Steven.
Yes.
Now, whether you pushed Jennings or not, you've got to think of our son, Alexis.
lt's iust as agonising for him.
You must ty to forgive him, for your sake as well as his.
Forgive? l don't forgive my enemies, Blake.
Now you managed to get out of the hole that l dug for you.
And l'm gonna get out of the hole that's been dug for me by you and Steven and whomever else.
lt's not over yet, Blake.
And it won't be until l've repaid eveybody for their treachey ten times over.
God help you, Alexis.
And God help all of you, Blake.
Blake, l don't understand.
Why would Adam put me on the stand? Ask me to testify for the defence? He's her lamer, he's just doing his job.
There must be something that you said when he interviewed you that made him believe that you could establish some sort of reasonable doubt in the minds of the jurors.
When there's no doubt in my mind? Blake, l believe Alexis is guilty.
l know Steven wouldn't lie.
- Blake, hello.
- Why, hello, Hal.
- l hope l'm not interrupting.
- No, no, not at all.
Darling, this is Hal Lombard, an old business acquaintance of mine.
This is my wife, Kystle.
- A pleasure, Mrs.
Carrington.
- Hello.
You mind if l ioin you for a few minutes? No.
Fine.
Good, because this particular Oklahoman would like to lodge a complaint with you, Blake.
Oh, what about? Well, let me put it this way.
Uh-- l ran into Billy Waite out in the airport and he told me about your talks.
You know, the South China Sea deal.
l don't mind telling you l'm a little hurt that you never came to me about it.
lt's a high risk deal, Hal, and you, uh-- You like to cover your bets.
Oh, l do, l do, but from what l've heard, if this one ever pays off, it's gonna be a jackpot.
lt is.
And what do you think, Mrs.
Carrington? Oh, l know it is.
Well, maybe we should pursue this.
l mean, when a vey beautiful woman gives a proiect her blessing, even though it is her husband's, l'm swayable.
That is, if there's still room for a good friend who has some ready cash to spend.
l'll keep you in mind when the ne_ big one comes along, Hal.
l can always find a way for a friend to part with a little of his money.
Where are you staying? With the Morrison's, where l'd rather not be staying.
Oh, why not? See, they have these teenage grandchildren.
The grandchildren are visiting.
The grandchildren play loud music on those portable squawk boxes they cary with them all day and half the night.
There's six of those little monsters.
But l don't want you to think that this is my way of asking if l can stay with you, folks, for the ne_ few days.
Hal, how would you like to stay with us for the ne_ few days? l'll move my bags in tonight.
lf that's all right with you, Mrs.
Carrington.
Oh, of course it is.
Well, l'll iust do that then.
- See you both later.
- Right.
Well, he seems vey nice.
He's not.
He makes Billy Waite Iook like an angel among angels.
Then why did you ask him to stay at our house? Well, this isn't social, darling.
This is business.
He happens to have a sizeable amount of money, and l might need him.
Besides, as he said, it's only for a couple of days.
ADAM: Mrs.
Carrington, you were at one time married to the deceased, Mark Jennings.
Is that true? KRYSTLE : Yes, it is.
ADAM: A rather short-lived marriage.
- That's correct.
What is your present relationship with the defendant, Alexis Colby? We've had our differences.
l would call my relationship with her often strained.
ADAM: Would you describe your last conversation with Mark Jennings? Well, l saw Mark a few hours before his death.
He came to say goodbye.
He said he was leaving Denver, probably for New York.
- Did he mention Alexis Colby? - Yes.
What did he say? KRYSTLE : They weren't getting along.
Exactly how did he describe Mrs.
Colby? KRYSTLE : Well, he said she was a nuisance.
ADAM: Just a nuisance? That's rather a mild term for someone the prosecution's been tying to present as being as violent, as vicious as Catherine de Medici.
Wouldn't you say? That was Mark's word, not mine.
At any time at all, did he indicate to you that he was afraid of someone or something? That he was running for his life? Well, he did say that he felt as if he was on top of the world and he knew someone who'd like to push him off of that world.
Was there any hint of a threat against his life? A specific threat from Alexis Colby? No.
JUDGE: Mr.
Cunningham, cross-examination? CUNNINGHAM: Mrs.
Carrington.
lf Mark Jennings were blackmailing Alexis Colby and was indeed afraid for his life, would he have confided in you? Obiection.
Calls for speculation.
The Deputy District Attorney is asking this witness to read the deceased's mind.
Sustained.
Withdrawn.
No further questions, Your Honour.
JUDGE: The witness is excused.
This court will reconvene at 2:OO.
BALIFF: All rise.
l think Kystle's testimony was just right.
Just enough to put doubt in the minds of the juy.
She was simply superb, a veritable angel from heaven.
l'm sure the iuy would have believed her if she told them the sky was green.
She certainly didn't hurt you.
And for that l should be grateful? No, you're right.
Had the situation been reversed and l would have l taken the stand, l could have had her burned as a witch in less than three minutes.
No, she didn't do me any harm.
But did she do me any good? lt's a slow building process, mother.
Reasonable doubt.
And they have Steven as an eyewitness.
Yes.
l'm gonna call your houseman and have him testify that you were in the shower.
Also, l'm gonna take the juy to your building and have them iudge for themselves whether anyone standing on your terrace could be identified from the street.
Adam, there's only one person that you can call to the stand to win this case.
The only one who knows the truth.
- Me.
- Absolutely not.
l won't let you do that to yourself.
You'll wreck eveything l've built in that courtroom.
Mother, l'm tying to save your life and l can't represent you if you insist on destroying your own case.
- You can't? - No.
Well, then, you leave me no choice.
You've done an excellent iob, Adam, but l cannot win unless l take the stand.
Oh, for God's sake, mother.
You'll hang yourself.
Adam, l do not intend to spend the rest of my life in prison.
Now, l am going to win.
And if you're not with me, you're against me.
And l'm firing you.
Mrs.
Colby, l cannot caution you strongly enough against this perilous decision to defend yourself.
l urge you, take advantage of this opportunity to reconsider and appoint a new attorney.
Judge Ma_ield, l'm completely within my rights to represent myself in this action.
l'm aware of the risks involved, and l'm fully competent to defend myself, and l shall.
l'll need no other counsel.
You're sure of that? l'm absolutely sure.
Ladies and gentlemen.
l know that l must speak directly to you for the simple reason that l alone know the truth about what l did or did not do.
JUDGE: Mrs.
Colby.
Will you tell the court what happened the night Mark Jennings died? Yes.
Ahem.
l was late for my daughter's engagement party.
When l had come home, l was in a rush.
Mark was there.
He was still employed as my bodyguard, and he was vey, vey drunk.
He insisted upon talking to me.
He wanted to tell me that he didn't want to leave Denver.
He wanted to believe that l still needed him.
l assured him that that was not true.
And was there a quarrel? No.
Not a quarrel.
Mark Mark wanted to make love.
l told him that that relationship had been over between us for a long time.
l went upstairs and l showered and changed.
When l came down, he had gone.
l assumed that he'd left.
My chauffeur then drove me to the party and soon after l arrived there, l l found out what had happened to him.
Mrs.
Colby, l congratulate you on taking the stand.
l'm sure we all do.
And l must say that you present a vey impressive witness on your own behalf.
You dressed in a hury and left.
What did you wear, Mrs.
Colby? A black beaded dress.
A black beaded dress and a cape.
Both of which you had made especially for the party? No.
No, l never wore the cape.
l found out at the last minute that it hadn't delivered to my apartment.
l took a fur instead.
Then Steven Carrington couldn't have seen you wearing that cape on that terrace pushing Mark Jennings to his death? No.
l never wore the cape.
Eveyone at the party could testify to that.
People's four.
Do you recognise this cape, Mrs.
Colby? lt does have your initials inside.
This is the cape you intended to wear to the party that night.
This is the cape Steven Carrington described, or is it not? Yes.
Yes, it is mine, but Can you explain why the police found this cape stuffed in a garbage can behind the apartment building ne_ to your hotel? No.
l told you it was never delivered to me.
Perhaps this tear was made by Mark Jennings in a last desperate attempt to grab this as you pushed him from the terrace.
ls that true, Mrs.
Colby? No, that's not true.
Then you took this ripped cape which you, of course, could not wear in public, and disposed of it and went on to the party.
True, Mrs.
Colby? No.
No.
Are we really to believe, Mrs.
Colby, that when you refused to go to bed with Mark Jennings, this athletic and well-built man just crawled away without a whimper especially after he had iust forced you to pay him $100,OOO? l gave him the money to get out of town.
lt was my choice to give it to him.
He was becoming a nuisance.
So Mark Jennings took your $1 OO,OOO and then reneged on the bargain.
You paid him to leave.
He wasn't leaving.
Mrs.
Colby, Mark Jennings was in control, wasn't he? No.
Control? He wasn't in control.
He was a liar and a cheat.
He was a hustler and a blackmailer.
He was beneath contempt.
Did he deserve to die? Oh, yes, if anyone deserved to die, he did.
[CROWD MURMURING.]
JUDGE: Quiet.
No further questions, Your Honour.
But l didn't kill him.
l did not kill him! JUDGE: Mrs.
Colby.
ALEXIS: l did not.
JUDGE: Order.
Order.
Bailiff.
Bailiff, restrain that woman.
[GAVEL BANGING.]
MAN [ON TM: And one of the most flamboyant trials in the histoy of Denver will come to a conclusion tomorrow as Alexis Colby, in her own defence, will present her summation to the juy tying to defuse the allegedly damaging testimony of her son, Steven Carrington.
[TV TURNS OFF.]
l can't believe Alexis is defending herself, Blake.
What must Steven be going through? Ooh.
Why stop? - Felt good for both of us.
- How dare you! Take it easy.
No harm done.
- What do you think you're doing? - You were feeling sory for Steven.
How about a little concern for poor old far-from-home Hal? Because l am lonely, Kystle.
l've got no place to go back to.
No, iust got divorced and the kids, they're not speaking to me, and she's out dating another guy already and doesn't care.
- l need somebody to care.
- Get away from me.
l'm going upstairs.
l iust wish l could ioin you.
You seem to have forgotten something.
l'm Blake's wife.
His incredibly beautiful wife.
His pregnant wife.
l don't care what business you have with my husband, l want you out of this house.
- Is that an order? - Yes.
Blake might not approve.
l want you out of here.
lt's been a pleasure.
Heh, heh.
Well, nearly.
Good evening, darling.
How was your day? What's the matter? Is there something wrong? l iust threw Hal Lombard out of the house.
- What happened? - You're right, Blake.
He's not a vey nice man.
Yes, but you didn't tell me.
What happened? He made a pass at me.
He did? [SCOFFS.]
Well, you mustn't take him too seriously.
Hal Lombard is the kind of guy who thinks his one mission in life is to flatter evey beautiful woman that's around.
Well, l don't find that flattering.
l find it offensive.
l'm sure that you put him in his place.
l'll have a few well-chosen words with him, anmay.
- l hope l never have to see him again.
- You won't.
l'll conduct all my business with him from now on at the office, all right? Are you saying you're still gonna do business with him? Of course.
l don't have the luxuy of choosing the people l do business with.
And so ladies and gentlemen of the juy, the prosecution has proved beyond any reasonable doubt that we know the cold-blooded murderer of Mark Jennings.
That person is Alexis Colby.
She had the motive, she had the opportunity and she had the capability.
The motive was blackmail.
The opportunity? We established Alexis Colby was in her penthouse at the time of the murder.
lf any one of you still has the slightest doubt as to her guilt, l ask only that you recall the heart-wrenching testimony of her son reluctantly testifying to the absolute guilt of his own mother whom he loves.
There is only one conclusion.
lt is undeniable.
lt is supported by the evidence.
And now it is your duty, under the law, to render that undeniable conclusion.
Alexis Colby is guilty of murder in the first degree.
Ladies and gentlemen of the iuy, Mr.
Cunningham is wrong.
Perhaps you think of me as a woman who has too much, who has lived too well.
Well, that may or may not be true.
But right now l am a woman who is being victimized.
l am being blamed for a murder that l did not commit.
l have no witnesses.
l have no dramatic surprises to prove my innocence.
All l can tell you is the truth.
Yes.
l wanted Mark Jennings out of my life, but l did not wish him dead.
Yes, l gave him $100,OOO, but he was blackmailing me, and l paid the price of my indiscretions.
l am guilty of many things.
Stone me for the sins that l have committed, and l'll stand before you and say, ''l took my chances.
'' But l beg you, do not condemn me for a crime that l did not commit.
My son.
My own son, Steven, stands as my main accuser.
lf he says that he saw a figure on my terrace that night, l believe him.
But it was not l.
l swear to God Almighty.
l did not kill Mark Jennings.
- Any word? - No.
l was wrong to have fired you.
l really needed you.
You were wrong to testify, Mother, that's what hurt you.
But if your closing argument didn't win the hearts of that juy l don't know anything about the art of defence.
Thank you, darling.
At least l have one son who cares.
[GASPS.]
What are you doing here? l was iust going over it again.
Some little lie that you can add to assure Alexis' conviction.
You've done a more than adequate job already.
ln fact, l ought to toss you over this terrace myself.
- Dex, it was the truth.
- The truth? What is the truth to you? The testimony that you gave that could put your mother in the electric chair? Nuh-uh.
The truth is you hate your mother.
Love-hate.
- That is the sick name for it, isn't it? - Enough.
Oh, no, now we get down to the truth of it, don't we? That really strikes a nerve.
The same one Alexis strikes in you because you blame her for turning you into the snivelling fag that you are and always have been.
[GRUNTING.]
[PANTING.]
Yes.
Yes, thank you vey much.
Well, the iuy's reached a verdict.
They'll be coming back in in a few minutes.
l think we'd better go.
- Steven.
- Yeah.
lt's over.
They've reached a verdict.
Mrs.
Colby, you'd better get dressed.
The juy is in.
JUDGE: Does the juy have a verdict? Yes, we have, Your Honour.
Will the defendant please rise? The court clerk will read the verdict.
We, the iuy in the above-entitled case find the defendant, Alexis Colby, guilty of murder in the first degree.
Oh, God.
[CROWD MURMURING.]
Oh, this can't be happening.