Original subtitles

I tell you something, Carter.

If I didn't have white hair before this case, it's getting there now.

Every time we think we got something, it slips right through our fingers.

But I really don't think the boy did it.

I'll tell you one thing. If I was keeping a young, good -looking woman and

started stepping out on me, especially with a younger man, I'd be madder than

hell. I don't know if I'd be mad enough to kill her, but somebody was.

What do you think?

Lobby Hobson speaking.

Get up to 1102 right away. There's a woman screaming for help. Something

terrible has happened.

Hurry.

That's it.

Charlene!

Charlene!

You've organized my desk again.

Looking for me?

Yeah, yeah.

I guess when you get a certain age, that's it, huh?

Yeah.

I've been going over our books.

Good. We're doing very well.

You on a raid?

Nope. Vacation?

Nope.

Remember... Telling me about when you were a kid and that boy lost his

Yeah. And you gave him yours?

Yeah. Why don't we do that again?

Charlene, it's summertime.

What I'm trying to say is that I think we should take a case for nothing every

now and then.

We do.

When? Every now and then.

Dad, you've heard about this boy, Kevin Meredith, who was arrested for killing

his girlfriend?

I just had a long talk with his mother.

Charlene, the public defender's office will do a fine job. I used to be one of

them. I can speak for them.

You'll get a great defense.

His mom said he was advised against even trying to go to college.

They said he wouldn't make it.

Well, he's been holding down two jobs, and he's an honor student.

She said she hoped it wasn't true.

But she heard the Matlock office only worked for money.

She said he never owned an overcoat.

So tell us what happened.

He'd been making love.

I went into the bathroom to take a shower.

When I came out, there was a knife.

I picked it up and...

Joanne was dead.

Did you see anybody?

Hear anybody?

Anybody hate her?

She was wonderful.

Everybody liked her.

Somebody didn't like her.

And right now the police and the DA think that's you.

I loved her.

I'm sorry, Kevin, but that's not a defense.

Then what the hell is?

Did Joanne have some money? I mean, judging from her address.

Her family was rich. Why?

Did she help you out now and then?

I never took anything from her.

She was the best thing that ever happened to me.

I loved her.

And if you think anything else, you can just get out of here.

Some temper you got there.

I hope it won't be the death of you.

Joanne believed in me.

She believed I was going to make it.

Be somebody.

That's part of why I loved her so much.

She believed in me when nobody else did.

She believed in me.

Well, come on, son.

Your arraignment's in half an hour.

Well, good morning, Lloyd. How's everything in your life? Morning, Ben.

always up, aren't you? Well, I'm in a trade I like, and I got another winner.

Your client's ever guilty? Not if I can help it.

Superior Court 3 is now in session. Honorable Judge Carter Addison

All rise.

We'll start with the private counsel cases.

The state versus Meredith.

Benjamin Matlock for the defense, Your Honor.

Defendant has been advised of his rights.

Waves reading of the indictment. Please not guilty. Request to jury trial. Time

is waived.

How would September 28th, 9 a .m. be, Counselor? Fine with me, Your Honor.

Agreed.

Oh, Mr. Matlock.

I'd like to see you in chambers when I'm finished here.

Of course.

Thank you so much for defending my son.

We'll give it our best shot.

I know.

Phil, I know, but the cat is now out of the bag.

What?

Look, so it's not a surprise.

I'll tell you what, I'll act surprised.

All evening, I promise.

All right, I'll see you then.

I'm sorry, Ben.

Some of the boys were going to surprise me with a party at the Windsor

celebrating my 10th year on the bench.

My clerk just let it slip.

10 years?

Has it been that long?

Has left tomorrow.

Boy, the years go by.

Too fast.

I remember when we both had brown hair.

That's right.

Well... Oh, the old Law Society picture from school.

I remember a lot of those guys.

You never did join, did you?

No, I never was much of a joiner.

I remember you were a hard worker.

Would you hold down a couple of jobs?

Well, it was either hold down a couple of jobs or not go to school.

I always admired you, Ben.

Yeah, I never knew that.

Sit down.

I wanted to talk to you, off the record. Yeah.

You know, uh, Paul Devereaux's boy, Dale, passed the bar last year, and

naturally, Paul's gonna take him into the firm.

Oh, I'm a strong believer in nepotism. So is my daughter, Charlene.

Well, anyway, Dale doesn't have a lot of courtroom experience, and it occurred

to me this, um, Meredith case might be a good practice for him.

Well, he's very bright. I mean, he'll do a good job.

You're asking me to step aside?

Well, just to help Paul's boy out.

Oh.

Well, Carter, um... I feel I have an obligation.

I know it would be good practice for Paul's boy, but... I've already accepted

the case.

I know Paul's boy would do a good job, but I just... I feel like I should stay

on.

Well, just a thought. Ah, sure, sure.

Hey, listen.

Happy 10th.

It's strange.

It's very strange. I mean, if it had happened on the street, it would be

strange.

But in his chambers, it's very strange.

You're talking to yourself again.

Get this.

Connor Addison calls me into his office and asks me to step aside on the

Meredith case and give it to Paul Devereaux's boy.

Dale. Yeah.

Dale?

Isn't that strange?

I've never heard of a judge doing anything like that.

Hello, people.

Tyler,

I've been looking for you all morning. I've been busy getting my fall wardrobe

together. You just got a new wardrobe.

A man in my position cannot afford to be five minutes out of style.

What position is that?

I have been nominated Young Atlanta Businessman of the Year.

Who nominated you?

Me. You?

Yeah. Oh.

And it's within the rules. And if I win, the local financial community will open

its doors and its checkbooks to me.

Now, what's the case?

Kevin Meredith.

Pro bono.

There's no fee?

Well, look at the publicity.

Young Atlanta businessman of the year with a heart of gold. Anyone ever tell

that you owe me? Absolutely.

Coming? Wouldn't miss it.

Lieutenant. Hello, Ben. Hello, Rupert. Arlene, we're about done here, Ben.

Oh, good.

You want to visit with the building manager?

Don't you trust our lab, Ben?

Well, they're good. They're just not looking to help Kevin Merritt.

Hey, Tyler.

There's no fingerprints in the bedroom to speak of. They're all smudged.

Look at that.

It burns spots.

Look at that ashtray.

Isn't that a pipe smoker's ashtray?

Yeah, you can see where the bowl fits right in there.

Check that for prints, huh?

Look around and see if you can find some tobacco.

There's a cognac bottle in the kitchen. See if it's got any prints.

You got it.

Ben, the building manager was reasonably cooperative.

Now, he said Joanne Lee lived here for six months, paid for the whole year in

advance. $32 ,000.

Now, I'm wondering how a student could afford $32 ,000.

Kevin said her people have money.

Manager told me her mother's been calling in here. Wanted to get Joanne's

she could sell it.

Sell it? She lives over in Hastings. She works as a chambermaid in a hotel. He

said she's the only family Joanne had.

He also told me that when Joanne first moved in here, she got two sets of keys.

Then about two months ago, about the same time she started seeing Kevin, she

asked for another set of keys.

So if Kevin Meredith didn't kill her, then somebody came in while he was

a shower and did.

Maybe whoever got that other set of keys.

You know, I can't get over Carter Harrison asking me to step aside on

I mean, I can understand a lawyer asking a judge to step aside because of

prejudice.

But a judge asking a lawyer, don't you think that's odd?

Yeah, it is.

Ben, I didn't find any fingerprints on that cognac bottle. I did find this, a

pipe cleaner and some tobacco.

Oh, no.

This city kills me.

Here's a street where absolutely nothing's happening. You can only park

an hour.

I told you to read the signs.

How many parking spaces did Joanne Lee have?

She was assigned two, but there was some construction going on in the garage, so

she was down to one.

So whoever was visiting her had to park on the street.

Kevin Meredith doesn't have a car.

Check all the parking tickets issued around here in the last two or three

months.

Parking tickets?

Yeah.

All of them?

Yeah. If somebody was keeping Joe Anley and didn't want to be seen, he might

have been parking around here. He might have been like somebody else I know and

gotten a lot of tickets.

Ben, you got any idea how long that's going to take?

For the young businessman of the year, probably a heartbeat.

Want to drive over to Hastings and visit the girl's mama? Yeah.

You drive.

Why?

Because I'm the senior partner and I just got a ticket and everything.

Keep your eyes on the road, stay in the speed limit, and no rock and roll on the

radio.

I'm taking you back to the office.

I don't think you understand my anger, how I feel, or anything

at all.

I'm sure you've had a terrible loss, Mrs. Lee.

My loss happened a long time ago.

You mean when your daughter left home?

I was glad she wanted to go to school.

First she'd come home on vacations, and then she stopped coming home at all.

She'd go home with her friends.

She never liked it here in Hastings.

Hated it.

So she left.

Can I sell her car?

I'll see what I can do.

We'll need you to testify at the trial.

You're working for the boy who killed her.

We think somebody else may have done that, Mrs. Lee.

It seems that there was someone else in Joanne's life.

Oh, you mean the man who was keeping her?

Did she say who it was?

No, no. And I never asked.

All I know is that he was some sort of big shot.

He paid for his school.

We'd like you to tell the court about this.

You mean go to Atlanta?

That's right.

Well,

maybe, maybe I could do that.

I got expenses if I do.

travel, a place to stay.

How much?

Five.

Five thousand.

It's not our policy to pay people for telling the truth, Mrs. Lee. I'm sorry.

This is your subpoena.

Requires your presence in court.

Hi, Ben.

What do you make of her?

She's tough.

But I think she was really hurt when her daughter left her.

Yes,

Sarah.

Okay.

For you on one.

I'll take it in the office.

Ben, I went through all the parking tickets for Joanne Lee's neighborhood.

I got a couple singles, a few doubles, but nobody had a lot of parking tickets.

Nobody, huh?

And you were wrong about it taking me a heartbeat.

It took me a lot of heartbeats.

Well, whoever was keeping her had to park on the street, and he had to have

gotten some parking tickets.

I don't know what to tell you.

You know, if a person's got the juice,

he could fix a ticket and make it disappear.

As though it never existed.

Did you know that?

Yeah, I knew that.

I don't know the details about it.

Come on, fellas. We haven't got much time.

Evening, Carter.

Well, hello, Ben. What are you doing here? Oh, sometimes I get the

Buy you a drink.

Ah, well, it's a little late.

Oh, just one.

I got something here very special. Two Languan Apollyon Cognacs.

Well, let me say good night. Okay.

Well, here's the dandelion season or whatever season it is.

Yeah,

I used to come here a lot.

Used to have jazz in here. Oh, yeah.

Remember those great dance bands used to come through and play dances at school?

Remember the name of that one small band with the funny name Snooki something?

Snooki, Sandwich, and the Slippery Seven.

Yeah, yeah.

You used to be a good dancer. I did okay.

You still step out once in a while? Once in a while.

Good, huh? Mm -hmm.

Interestingly enough, I found a bottle of this in Joanne Lee's pocket.

Uh, who?

Joanne Lee, that murdered girl.

Oh, yes, yes.

I really am glad I didn't step aside on this case. It's fascinating.

It really is.

There's a lot I don't know, but I got a lot of things I think.

I think she was being kept by an older man.

I think he smoked a pipe and drank this same cognac. I don't know that he killed

her, but he could have.

Felt threatened over her relationship with this Kevin Merritt. Mm -hmm.

We're checking parking tickets around her building.

Around 23rd and Highview.

In fact, I got one there myself.

You did?

I don't suppose you could fix it?

I think not, man.

I was just joshing.

Well, I better get home. My wife's by herself.

Big day tomorrow. For me, too, Carter. For me, too. Thanks, man. Good night.

Anything? Nothing good.

No blood?

No blood.

Yeah.

Thought we were gonna get him tonight.

Well, it's not strange that Carter Addison has to just step aside anymore,

it? No.

I'll tell you one thing. He thinks he's covered his track pretty good.

He's as cool as the center seat of a cucumber.

Ben?

The judge's tobacco from the restaurant matches the blend I found at Joanne's

apartment. Good.

No blood in the car, huh?

No blood.

Well, maybe he cleaned up before he left.

Cleaned up? Where?

I don't know.

But he would have had to have done it before he even got in his car.

You know, there's a...

There's an apartment building.

It's just across the street from Joanne's.

And maybe, when he first suspicioned that she was stepping out on him, or

is, having somebody in, he might have gotten the use of a place there.

Well, that would explain why the parking ticket stopped.

The police said her shutters were open.

Oh, Dad.

You mean he got a place in that building so he could watch Kevin and Joanne make

love, maybe for weeks?

Well, let's just say that maybe he was checking to see if what he thought was

happening was happening.

You better find it.

Find what?

The apartment he was using, if there was one.

Ben, there's probably 50 or 60 apartments with a view of Joanne's

Now, you can bet Addison didn't use his real name. Maybe he didn't even rent the

place himself.

Were you at your security desk when the phone call came in?

Yes, sir, I was.

To the best of your recollection, would you tell the court what the man said?

I believe he said, get up 1102 right away.

A woman's screaming for help. Something terrible is happening.

What did you do?

Well, I got up there right away and rang the bell. When no one answered, I let

myself in.

Was anyone there?

Joanne's young friend.

I call your attention to People's Exhibit 3.

Do you recognize this?

Yes, he was holding it when I came in.

Was anyone else in the apartment?

No, sir, just him.

And is that man presently in the courtroom?

Yes, sir, he is.

Would you identify him?

He's right over there.

Let the record show.

Let the witness identify the defendant.

There's no further questions.

Any cross -examination?

Mr. Hobson, how long have you worked at your apartment building?

Ten years, since the day they opened the doors.

You know all the tenants?

Every last one of them, down to the kids and the dogs.

I bet they know you.

Yes, sir, they do.

You know, something seems strange to me.

You testified that a man phoned you and said, get up to 1102 right away.

But he didn't call you by your name. He didn't say, Harry, get up to 1102.

Did he?

No, he didn't. But Harry is your first name, isn't he? Yes, sir.

Did you recognize the man's voice?

No, I didn't.

Mr. Hobson, are there house phones in your building?

Yes, sir, there are.

Is there one on every floor?

That's right.

So, someone could have called from a house phone rather than one of the

apartments, isn't that correct?

Objection.

Relevancy.

Your Honor, I'm attempting to show that to call the security guard, a person

does not necessarily have to be a tenant. Anyone could have come in off

street and done it.

Sustained.

But, Your Honor, if someone other than Kevin Merida killed Joanne Lee,

then that person could have used the house phone in the hall.

Mr. Bedlock, don't make me repeat myself. The objection is sustained.

Your Honor, may I approach the bench?

Counsel.

Your Honor.

Defense is attempting to show that someone else had access to the dead

apartment and that phone.

Counsel for the defense is indulging in totally unjustified speculation. This is

a capital crime, and I ask for the widest possible latitude for my client.

Mr. Matlock, you've made your point. I will say for the last time, you will

confine your examination to the issues at hand.

Now, may we get on with this, please?

Something else, Counselor?

Not yet.

Is defense ready to proceed?

Yes, Your Honor. I call Claire Lee to the stand.

Is Claire Lee present?

Your Honor, this witness may not have answered our subpoena. May we take a

recess while we try to learn of her intentions?

Court is recessed for 30 minutes.

We haven't met. I'm Joanne Lee's mother.

They're waiting for you in court, Mrs. Lee.

Well, I thought we should talk first.

Why is that?

Joanne told me all about you.

That's not possible. I didn't know your daughter.

Look, you and I don't have time to play games here.

In a few minutes, I'm going to be on that stand.

And I know plenty about you, Joanne.

Better keep my mouth shut if you make it worth my while.

If you think I'm bluffing, you're going to be real sorry.

Real sorry.

Okay.

Mrs. Lee, you were Joanne's mother.

Yes. And you're a woman of modest means.

I worked hard all my life.

But your daughter lived very well here in Atlanta.

She had a wonderful apartment and lots of pretty clothes.

I was real proud of how well my Joanne had done for herself.

Would you explain to the court how a student with no family support Could

all this luxury.

Well, she worked for it, of course.

How did she support herself?

As a model.

She was very beautiful.

I have scrapbooks full of her pictures at home.

But modeling wasn't the only way she got money, was it?

Yes.

But I know.

Are you telling this court...

That your daughter paid for this luxury apartment herself by modeling?

Yeah. Mrs. Lee, you're under oath.

Objection. Counsel is harassing his own witness.

Sustained. Your Honor, I'm allowed to examine my own witness any way I choose,

especially if I'm surprised by her testimony, and right now I can guarantee

I'm flabbergasted by it.

Mr. Medlock, may I remind you that in this courtroom you may not harass a

witness under any circumstances.

Now, you may proceed. I urge you to use caution and restraint.

Thank you for your advice, Your Honor.

Mrs. Lee.

Do you recall having a conversation with my daughter a few days ago?

Yes, I do.

Do you recall stating then that your daughter was being kept by a powerful

No. Isn't it true you said this man made it possible for your daughter to live

very well?

You're trying to trick me. Didn't you say this same man made it possible for

your daughter to come to school in Atlanta?

Why are you telling these lies?

My baby would never, never take money from a man like that. She was a sweet,

wonderful girl. And I just did.

Court is adjourned until tomorrow morning, 9 a .m.

All rise.

Is counsel ready?

Your Honor, may I approach the bench?

What is it, Mr. Medlock?

I'll get right to it, Your Honor.

Defense intends to call his honor as its next witness.

I have no information relevant to this case.

Mr. Medlock, do you realize the implication of your intention?

I'm afraid I do, Your Honor.

But I have an obligation to present evidence that I believe will be helpful

my client's defense.

I think this is a complete waste of the court's time and the state's money.

Your honest testifying could mean a mistrial.

Then we'd have to start this whole trial all over again. That doesn't make any

sense.

I have a sincere belief that your honor may have knowledge of facts that may

shed some light on this case.

My duty is to Mr. Meredith, not to the state treasury.

I'll see both counsel and the court reporter in chambers.

I don't...

believe that I have any information to help your client.

But I understand your position.

And we all appreciate what a mistrial will cost us in terms of time and money.

Now, Judge Cooksey is available.

If you and Mr. Burgess will agree to Judge Cooksey presiding over my

examination, I think we can put this matter to rest, Mr. Matlock.

If you can show that I know something important here, then I'll agree to step

down and a mistrial will be declared.

If you can't.

Then I will retake the bench tomorrow morning. We'll finish this case and send

it to the jury.

Mr. Burgess?

It's unusual, but the state agrees if Mr. Matlock does.

Defense goes along with your proposal.

Your Honor, defense has just been presented with new evidence that's

to our case. May we take a brief recess to prepare for our next witness?

All right. This court will recess until 2 .30 this afternoon.

The truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help me God.

Please be seated.

Mr. Addison, do you know Mrs.

Clare Lee?

Are you referring to Defense's witness?

Yes, I am.

I don't know her personally, no.

You are aware that she is the mother of the deceased Joe Anley?

I believe that was her testimony.

Have you had any occasion to discuss this case with Mrs. Lee?

Absolutely not.

Isn't it true that you met with her this morning after she testified in your

court? No, I did not.

And at that time, didn't you give her an envelope containing $15 ,000?

Objection. The witness already testified. He never met with the woman.

Sustained.

Did you know Joanne Lee?

No. Never met her?

No.

Mr. Addison, let me ask your opinion here.

If there were a condominium and its ownership were in question,

that is, it were in a lawsuit, could that condominium be

impounded by the court?

Yes.

So that neither party involved in that lawsuit could enter that condominium?

Yes. Now, if this condominium...

were impounded by the court, would it be difficult for someone in the

court, say a judge like yourself, to obtain a key to that impounded company?

This is getting a little hypothetical for me, Mr. Matlock. Is counsel about to

come to a point?

Well, Your Honor, I'm just trying to establish that it would not be

In fact, it would be quite simple.

for a judge to obtain a key to an impounded condominium. Now, are you

with a condominium building at 437 Highview Street?

No, I am not.

Let me refresh your honor's memory.

This condominium building is directly across from the apartment building where

Joanne Lee lived.

Mr. Madlock, I have already stated I am not familiar with this building. Now, I

agreed to testify based on your assurances that I would be a material

So far, you have demonstrated nothing.

Maybe this might clarify.

From this condominium building, with a pair of binoculars, a person can look

right into Joanne Lee's apartment, which is what the killer did.

while he watched and waited for his chance to murder her.

Would Mr. William Bryan please rise?

This condominium building is occupied primarily by retired people.

Mr. Bryan is a former member of the Atlanta Police Department. Do you

him? No, I do not.

You didn't see Mr. Bryan there this morning when you were in that building?

I have never been in that building.

I suppose we could have Mr. Bryan testify that he saw you in that

then that wouldn't prove that you killed Joanne Lee, would it?

Order! Order in the court!

Matlock, I warn you, making these unsubstantiated charges is contemptible.

Addison, I don't make unsubstantiated charges.

You see, this morning,

When you went back to that condominium, when Mr. Bryant saw you,

to remove your clothes that you had left there till this whole thing was

over, you didn't remove your clothes.

They were replacements that were placed there by my associate, Mr. Tyler Hudson.

These are your clothes.

This is your raincoat.

See Joanne Lee's blood?

These are your gloves.

Your hat.

Your shoes.

Which I placed into evidence.

Now.

Carter.

You were one of the best and one of the brightest.

I'm truly sorry it's come to this.

No further questions.

Your Honor, rather than a mistrial, prosecution moves for dismissal. Case

dismissed.

Congratulations.

Thank you very much.

Good job.

We can't thank you. If you want to thank someone, thank her.

Your daughter would be very proud.

Well, shall we dance?

Where to?

Back to the office. Somebody around here's got to make the money.