Original subtitles

Bye. Oh, this is a great office.

Well, it will be when I get it fixed up.

Oh, you're still tilting to the left, I see.

I'll bet you a quarter. It's still not straight. I couldn't have done better if

I'd used a level.

Design workshop.

Best class at Smith.

It was the only A I got the whole semester.

You, uh, going out of town?

Or leaving Clay Graham again?

For good this time.

I hope so.

You'll stay with me, I insist. No, I was thinking I should... No, I have a

lovely new apartment and I need help fixing it up. I was thinking that I

go to a hotel.

Andrea, you were my favorite roommate.

So it settled.

Good.

Because you know what? I already sent the trunk over.

She'll be back.

Unless she finds someone else.

You know as well as I do, she's out there looking.

Even as we speak.

I'd call her, Clay.

Yeah. If you want Andrea back, you better do something about it.

Right now.

I don't even know where she is.

Try Michelle Thomas.

I don't know the number. It's a new listing.

No, I said goodbye, and I meant goodbye.

Andrea, you can't just walk out of me like this.

I just did.

I love you.

I had too much to drink.

promise i wish i could believe you come on over tonight no i can't i can't

look sweetheart you left a lot of things so just come by and get what you need

at least give me a chance to apologize all right okay

Don't go. I'm just going to pick up the rest of my things.

Maybe this will help to get him off my back and out of my mind once and for

Or it might provoke him.

I'll go with you. No, no, Michelle.

He's hit me for the last time.

I won't let that happen again, no matter what it takes.

No! No!

Clay?

Arthur?

I'm down here.

Well, the electricity's gone out.

I wouldn't know.

Yeah, it's a circuit breaker. What are you doing here, anyway?

Just taking care of some old business.

Arthur? Yeah, it's me, Clay.

All alone in the dark.

Hello, I'd like to report a gunshot.

Is something wrong?

Oh, God.

Arthur, Clay's dead and there's... I don't know what happened.

There's blood. He's been shot. Andrea, calm down. Arthur, I'm scared. Now, calm

down. What should I do? Should I call the police?

No, listen to me. But, Arthur... Andrea, listen to me.

I want you to leave the house and come over here. I'll call a lawyer and then

we'll call the police.

Have you got that?

Okay. Okay. Now, get out of there.

How's your cat?

Cat's fine.

How's your rabbit? Rabbit's fine.

And your philodendron?

Philodendron's fine.

What's that?

It's a present.

Open it.

Who's it from?

I think it's from Michelle.

Open it.

You're going to tell Michelle Thomas, who moved here all the way from London,

England, that you don't like the tie she bought for you out of love?

Well, it's just... It's a gift from a person.

You should have seen how excited she was when she left it here. It's very

expensive. And you're going to tell her that you don't like it?

No.

No, I like it.

Where is she so I can thank her?

Oh, she's down at the jail. Girlfriend of hers was just arrested for murdering

Clay Graham. You hear about that?

No.

I guess he was sort of a man about town.

Andrea Morrow was her name.

Is Michelle thinking about representing her?

Well, I don't think she really has much choice. I mean, they've been friends for

a long time, and it doesn't really look very good for her.

Andrea, I mean.

Oh.

That tie really looks terrific.

You don't think it's too bright?

No. No, I think it makes you look like a real class act.

It sort of sets off your hair.

Down at the jail, huh?

Someone grabbed me from behind and knocked me out somehow.

And then when I came to, Clay was dead and his gun was in my purse. I don't

anything else.

I just wish whoever had knocked you out had left a nice bump on your head or

used chloroform, anything that would substantiate your story.

Good morning. Oh, hi. Andrea Morrow. This is Ben Matlock.

I was just in the neighborhood.

Ben, could I speak to you outside for a second?

Sure.

Excuse me.

Ben, she was in Clay Graham's home at the time the murder took place. Her

fingerprints were found on the murder weapon.

She appeared to be fleeing the scene of the crime when she was apprehended.

And she made some damaging statements to the police about how Graham abused her

physically.

Oh.

You think she did it?

Not for an instant.

Well, that's a start.

Ben, she's an old friend. She doesn't have a lot of money.

Yeah, I heard.

I don't think I'm ready to take on a case like this entirely alone.

I mean, what if I should lose? What an awful prospect.

Well, maybe together.

Thank you.

Thanks for my tie.

You like it? I love it.

If I'd known this was coming up, I'd have bought you a suit.

Well, let's give the case our best shot and think a long time about the suit.

How did the bail hearing go?

Fine.

What's the matter?

Andrea said something to me before she went to see Clay Graham.

What?

She said she'd never let him hit her again.

Can't fault her for that. No matter what it takes.

The DA knows she was with me just before she went to see Graham.

What if they call me to testify to her state of mind?

Well, you could claim lawyer -client privilege.

Yeah, but I wasn't her lawyer then.

Well, D .A. doesn't know that, and you don't have to tell me.

Well, it's a problem.

Well, maybe it won't turn out to be. You have to play those things by ear.

That's odd.

What?

He's left his key in the car.

A digital lock and alarm system. You've got to punch in a code.

Yeah.

If Clay Graham left his keys in the car, how'd he get in the house?

Watch your foot.

Well, that explains the cut on the bottom of his right foot.

What time you at?

10 .45.

Yeah, me too.

Clock's off. Five minutes slow.

So's the one in here.

Five minutes slow?

Strange. Look at that.

Power outage?

I wonder if he was taping something the night he was murdered.

Why don't you give it a listen?

I'll see if there was power outage in the whole neighborhood.

Mr. Hampton. Mr. Medlock.

Yes. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you.

You didn't?

Please come in. It makes you so comfortable.

Well,

Andrea said that you were remarkable, but I never expected this.

You do all this sculpture?

Yes, sir.

I'm not an expert on art or anything, but it seems to me it's...

All right, beautiful.

Well, thank you.

Clay Graham was a good friend.

Yes.

Yes, he was.

He was very helpful.

He also had a lot of money.

And most of the people he knew did, too.

He also had a guilty conscience.

I don't know. I assume Andrea told you the full story.

She said that you and Clay had met about eight years ago through

mutual acquaintances, and then after you had become friends about seven years

ago, you were both in an automobile accident.

That's right.

We were at a party. Been some drinking, of course.

I thought Clay was all right, but he lost control of the car. He skidded off

road, hit a tree.

He got away with minor scratches. I wasn't so lucky.

You became an artist suddenly who had to work from memory.

Well, that's not entirely accurate, Mr. Matlock. If you'll step over here, I'll

demonstrate.

People still pose for me.

First, I hated doing this.

And then I realized this gives me quite an advantage.

People have no idea how much insight I can gain into their character from doing

this.

I

wanted

to ask you about that phone call you made to Clay Graham's house the night of

the murder.

Yes? What was it about?

Well, I knew that he'd talked Andrea into coming over, and I was worried

what would happen.

With good reason, as it turned out.

You think she did it?

What other explanation is there?

I don't know.

I don't know.

Why did you advise her to leave the scene of the crime?

That was a mistake.

I know that now.

But she was hysterical.

If she'd talked to the police in that condition, God alone knows what would

come out of her mouth. I just thought she should calm down first.

By the way, I'd be happy to say that on the stand if that would help.

Oh, thank you. I don't know that that would be necessary.

I'll be going, and thank you for your time.

Of course. Okay.

You get a line, I'll get a pole, honey.

You get a line, I'll get a pole, babe.

You get a line, I'll get a pole. We'll go down to the crawdad hole, honey, baby

mine.

Well, get up, Kate, you slept too late, honey.

Get up, Kate, you slept too late, baby.

You know what my mother used to say?

Them's goody.

When you have a cold like that, aren't you supposed to starve it?

No.

Eat it.

Hi. You all right? No, thanks.

I went to the radio station, the one that Clay Graham was taping off the air.

There's a five -minute gap in the tape.

Could you establish the time?

Well, I played it for them. The music cuts off at what had to have been 9 .59

.m. and then comes back on again at the end of the hourly news break at 10 .04 p

.m. Hmm.

Yeah. High -ranked security received that night call about the gunshot at 10

and arrived on the scene at 10 -19.

Did Andrea say anything about the power being off?

No. Maybe it was turned off after she was knocked out and back on before she

came to.

The lights were off, what, five minutes?

Yeah. Are you saying that the killer put out the lights and then he shot Clay

Graham from 20 feet away in total darkness?

Sure is starting to be a real possibility.

Ladies, I understand you have the need of a private investigator.

That's right, Cassie.

Run the background on Arthur Hampton. You know, property, voter registration,

all that stuff.

Tyler, this fellow Hampton's an artist.

The studio's downtown.

Okay. See if he was a Green Beret or into martial arts.

An artist into the martial arts. We need to know if he could knock somebody out

without leaving a bruise.

No bruise.

He's blind.

A blind artist into the martial arts. Check his alibi for the night Clay

was murdered.

Check his alibi.

Ben, you just said the man was blind. How much more of an alibi do you need?

Hey, a blind artist into the martial arts.

No bruise.

Mr. Hampton?

Mr. Matlock?

Your answering service said you were down here. I couldn't imagine why.

I've been subpoenaed by the prosecution. I came down here to rehearse.

Oh.

That's very impressive.

Well, the idea of being led to or stumbling my way to the witness box, you

understand?

Well, I suppose I do.

You want to see me?

Well, yes.

This is a little awkward.

I'll try not to notice.

you at the time of the murder?

I was at home all night, Mr. Matlock.

Alone. Reading.

Braille.

I see.

You don't seriously suspect me, do you?

Well, I have reason to believe that the electricity was turned off in Clay

Graham's home just before he was murdered.

Thus giving the killer the element of surprise.

Or evening up the odds.

Mr. Matlock.

You should be ashamed for even thinking such a thing.

Clay Graham was my best friend.

I wouldn't have killed him even if I could.

Quite obviously.

I can't.

I understand that you were quite a marksman before you lost your sight.

Mr. Matlock, I ask you, truthfully,

are these the eyes of a killer?

Don't forget to turn out the lights.

Cassie?

What's this now?

It's a present.

Oh. Open it.

What is it? Open it.

Oh, it's a

shirt. It's beautiful.

It's pink.

It's okay for men to wear pink.

It'll look great on you, and it'll also go with that tie that Michelle bought

you. And suspenders are really the rage right now.

Who's it from?

From both of us.

Out of love.

Oh.

Is one of you Michelle Thomas?

Not me.

I'm Michelle Thomas.

This is from the district attorney's office.

Subpoena.

Have a good day.

Well, I guess the D .A. paid attention to Andrea's statement.

Well, he's just doing his job.

Oh, boy, I really dread this.

State calls Michelle Thomas.

And, Miss Thomas, the defendant moved in with you because she just broke up with

Clay Graham. Is that correct?

Yes. And you spoke with her on the evening of the murder.

before she went over to Mr. Graham's house. Is that correct?

Yes, she was going to get some of her things.

You knew at that time that Mr. Graham had a history of violence towards a

defendant?

Yes.

When he'd gotten angry, he'd been known to strike her. Is that correct?

Yes.

And it was Miss Morrow's idea to move out of Mr. Graham's house?

Yes, that's what I understood.

And Mr. Graham wasn't too happy about that, was he?

Miss Thomas, did you discuss with the defendant the fact that she might face

some danger in going over to Mr. Graham's house that night?

Yes.

What did she say?

She said she was nervous about going.

Is that all?

You're her friend. You didn't tell her not to go or maybe perhaps go along with

her?

Oh, sure I did.

What did the defendant say, Miss Thomas?

I don't recall her exact words.

Well, then would you paraphrase it for us, please?

She said no.

He'd hit her for the last time, and she wasn't going to let him do it again, no

matter what it takes.

Thank you.

No further questions, Your Honor.

Cross, Mr. Matlock.

I like to examine the phrase, no matter what it takes.

Seems to me that's a phrase that most of us use almost every day. I'll do such

and such, no matter what it takes.

When I was 11 or 12 years old, my mother said, next Sunday, you're going to

learn to make cornbread no matter what it takes, and I don't think she meant to

kill me.

Objection, Your Honor.

Nothing further.

Objection, Your Honor.

The state calls Arthur Hampton to the stand.

Let me give you a hand there. Thank you. That won't be necessary.

What was the gist of the conversation that Mr. Graham had with Miss Morrow

afternoon when he called her from your studio? Do you recall that?

Yes, he asked her to come by that night and collect the rest of her things.

And that they were going to be there alone, correct?

Yes, well, that was the whole idea.

I know that because I'm afraid the idea was mostly

mine.

I knew that Clay cared a lot more about Andrea than he was willing to say.

And as a friend, I urged him to try to reconcile with her.

That is advice that I will always regret giving.

Andrea, I'm sorry.

I should have known that Clay would force you to do what you did.

Objection. Move to strike that statement. Assumes facts not in

Requests the jury be admonished.

Sustained.

You will completely disregard the witness's last remark.

I have no further questions, Your Honor.

Cross, Mr. Matlock. I know, Your Honor, but the defense reserves the right to

recall this witness at a future time.

He's very subtle, Mr. Hancock.

Subtle? He buried us.

You don't

Thank you, guys. It was a terrific job.

Lovely perfume, Miss Thomas.

I noticed it the other day in the courtroom.

And I noticed it here earlier this evening.

Where are you, Michelle?

At

least

let me explain.

I have a weapon because I often work here late at night.

I have it for protection.

Never know when you're going to be surprised by an intruder.

Hey.

You're dead.

Yeah. Yeah, there's something...

Something doesn't quite fall.

What? The forensics people estimated from the trajectory of the bullet that

victim was standing on this third step when he was hit.

Right. But look at this little trail of blood from that cut on his right foot.

There's blood here on the landing.

And on this first step, and then on the second.

And if their estimate is correct, there should be blood on this step, but there

isn't.

Someone's in the kitchen.

Oh, I'm sorry. We didn't mean to startle you. I'm Ben Matlock. This is Michelle

Thomas. We represent Andrea Morrow.

Hattie Larson, Mr.

Graham's housekeeper. I came here to clear out my things and leave the key.

Oh, you go ahead. Don't mind us. We're just nosing around.

Ben?

Clerk at Brinkley.

Excuse me. Oh, sorry.

Ms.

Larson?

Uh, how often did you come in and clean for Mr. Graham?

I came in at ten, left at five, day in and day out.

And how often did you empty the wastebasket?

Every day.

So the last time this one was emptied was the day he was murdered?

That's right.

I recall Arthur Hampton to the stand.

Mr. Hampton, under what circumstances...

Did you lose your sight?

Uh, I suffered a severe head injury several years ago when the car I was

in swerved off the road, struck a tree.

Who was driving the car?

Clay was. Clay Graham.

You know, that's a horrible thing for a promising young artist to be robbed of

his sight like that. It must have made you pretty bitter.

No, not really.

If you'll forgive the cliche, Mr. Matlock, I honestly think it made me a

person. Perhaps, I don't know, a better artist.

That perhaps better is the wrong word, but you did allow Clay Graham to do

certain things for you, didn't you? Like buy you that studio, pay the rent on

your apartment, hire a part -time secretary, things like that.

Well, I'm sure that under the circumstances, Clay felt guilty.

What happened? But I prefer to think that he acted in the main, not a

friendship.

I suppose that friendship would

explain why you spent so much time at his house.

I understand you'd come over all by yourself, no seeing -eye dog, no one to

guide you, nothing. Is that right?

Yes. Well, I prefer not to be a burden to anyone. I take great pride in my... I

hear he even gave you a key so you could come and go as you please.

Yes.

So you knew his house pretty well.

Yes.

Um... Mr. Hampton, do you own a gun?

Yes.

Do you know how to use it?

Yes.

Um... Let me, uh...

Let me tell you something I think.

I think that someone who knew Ms. Morrow,

Mr. Graham, were going to be in that house alone.

Someone with a key let himself in that house and rendered Ms.

Morrow unconscious the instant she came through the door using some form of

judo.

You know judo, don't you?

I know a little.

Now, don't be modest, Mr. Hampton. You were a Green Beret, weren't you?

Yes. And you were expert enough at judo to enter several competitions.

Yes. So it is possible that you could render someone unconscious.

It was true, yes.

Years ago.

Let me go ahead with what I think here.

I think that same someone who rendered Ms. Morrow

unconscious placed a certain piece of paper

on the third step from the top of the stairs, then

hit the master light switch, turning out all the lights.

Then took the gun out of the drawer where Clay Graham kept it.

Then walked to the bottom of the stairs.

And waited.

That's possible for a person to do all that in the dark, isn't it? I mean, for

someone as familiar with the house as, say, you are.

Anything's possible.

And then as Clay Graham groped his way down those stairs, someone who knew how

to use a gun in the dark, such as yourself, shot him and then planted that

in Ms. Morrow's purse.

No. And that same someone who had ridden in Clay Graham's car hundreds of times

let himself in the car, picked up the car telephone, and dialed the Graham

house. Absolutely not.

According to the mobile phone company, two calls were placed from that

phone after he was killed.

It doesn't prove anything.

One to the security company, which shows how they got there so fast.

The second was your call to Andrea, telling her to run.

Mr. Matlock.

I was nowhere near that place. I was at my apartment that night. All night.

Your Honor,

at this time, I'd like to enter into evidence Defense Exhibit G,

this piece of paper.

It was found in a wastebasket in the kitchen of Clay Graham's home.

Now, Mr. Graham's housekeeper is certain that wastebasket was empty when

she left the house at 5 o 'clock the day of the murder, which means this piece

of paper had to be thrown there by the killer.

You know what's on it.

I have no idea.

Of course you don't.

How could you know?

How could you know that Clay Graham would break a glass that night and cut

right foot, leaving a little trail of blood along the hall,

down the stairs, ending on this piece of paper?

Care to tell the court why?

I have no idea.

Clay Graham stepping on this piece of paper was your cue

when and where to fire. You had placed this on the

third step from the top.

And when you heard Clay Graham's foot hit this paper, You shot him.

And you retrieved the piece of paper and threw it away.

How could you know it had Clay Graham's blood on it?

I'm going to ask the assistant district attorney to read

what's printed on this piece of paper.

Arthur Hampton Studios, 947 10th Street, Atlanta, Georgia.

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry, Mr. Hampton. I don't understand.

The world of the cyclists.

I don't know.

You've planned everything so carefully.

I guess you thought this was a blank piece of drawing paper.

Nothing further.

State moves for a dismissal, Your Honor.

Oh, boy. Yeah.

Kathy. Kathy.

Oh.

Oh, what's... What's all this now?

Well, Ben, you need a new suit for the Bar Association dinner next week. You

the keynote speaker.

Well, what's wrong with this suit?

Don't you think it's getting a little threadbare?

I do.

I'm sorry, but could you... Could you take it back?

Look, after all the trouble we went to of picking it out, the least you can do

is look at it.

It's from all of us.

With love.

Oh.

Oh.

Well, that's a suit.