Original subtitles

Evening, Judge Franklin. Mayor Borelli and Nick Beckman.

Evening, Mr. Brenner. The mayor is waiting for you.

Ready?

Thanks for coming by. You

betrayed me!

Not get cute.

Welcome.

Come on.

Let's go.

I heard you spent the weekend in jail.

You heard right, because nobody showed to make my bail.

I did nine days' one.

Sixties. Alabama.

Never occurred to me that the paper would post bail. And I was on

You weren't.

You think I'd go to the mayor's mansion for fun?

I had a tip.

Heard Mayor Borelli was having an emergency meeting.

I thought it might have something to do with the Senate seat he's been eyeing.

So did it.

Judge Franklin and Jack Brennert were the only ones there.

Well, you've been baptized, kid.

Never knew a reporter worth his byline hasn't been busted chasing a story.

Here's looking at you.

Those three may go way back, but it was far from a reunion.

The mayor almost put his fist down Brennert's throat.

Brennert almost put the mayor through the French door.

Franklin looked like he wanted to strangle both of them. What were they

about?

I couldn't follow up. I was in jail. Got any pictures?

Cop. It's got your camera.

Is the mayor having a press conference today?

Yeah, in the rotunda.

A couple of minutes.

Read that.

Hi, this is Paul O 'Neill, the Chicago Daily Examiner. I need to speak to the

mayor.

It's urgent that I speak to him.

Oh, my God.

They already left.

You call the police. I'm on my way.

Yeah, hello, Sergeant. This is Jim Milburn.

Hey, we just got a tip.

Some guy says he's going to kill the mayor.

Ladies and gentlemen, ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention,

The mayor will make a brief statement. He'll answer your questions when he's

through.

Thank you.

Thank you, and welcome.

In a little less than a year, people of this state must decide who will

represent them in the United States Senate.

They will either decide for six more years of the same thing, or,

if they agree with me,

they'll decide that it's time for a change, time for a new agenda, time for

new voice to be heard, time for a new generation to be heard.

I stand before you today as I start down that long road, confident that it will

end.

I want you to see.

We got some tape

on the shooter. I want you to look at it.

Go ahead.

Freeze it.

What do you think?

Wait a minute. I know him.

That's a guy from the nuclear demonstrations.

Paul, didn't you write a piece on the guy that led those demonstrations?

Yeah.

Weren't you getting letters from him?

Yeah, I was. All right.

Some reporter called the police.

Now, how did he know there was going to be an attempt on the mayor?

Was there a call?

Another letter?

A letter.

Let's have it.

There's no name.

What's his name?

Lou, I can't do that.

Let's take a walk.

Look, Paul.

I know someday you're going to want to grow up and win a Pulitzer Prize.

But this isn't just some two -bit snitch you're protecting.

This is a stone -cold killer who shot down the mayor of this city in broad

daylight. Lou. Now listen to me, man.

You cannot hold out on me.

Not now. Not this time.

All right.

But I'm in on the bus.

Deal.

I met this guy about six months ago. He's an activist, but he's strictly

nonviolent. I mean, none of this weird stuff.

Politics, the environment. He's involved. He's committed.

Paul, what's his name? I like this guy. So what?

His name is Chris Reardon.

He always wears pretty much the same thing.

Cubs baseball cap, army jacket, sunglasses.

Bingo.

I told you to wait outside.

I had faith in Matt.

What the hell's going on here?

Freeze! Get your hands off of me!

Do I have you to thank for this, O 'Neal? Will you let me talk to him?

it. We have a warrant for your arrest.

For what?

Attempted murder.

What the hell are you talking about? Somebody just shot the mayor. Well, it

wasn't me.

But whoever did it succeeded.

He just died on the operating table.

Cuff him.

Let's go.

O 'Neal, do something.

O 'Neal!

You know I wouldn't do something like this.

O 'Neal!

I can do that. Excuse me. It's still right over here.

Excuse me. I'll call you back.

Mr. Matlock? Yeah.

Paul O 'Neill, Chicago Daily 10.

Let me take this. Oh, thanks.

Good. You came straight from the airport.

Yeah.

The wire I got from Harry sounded pretty urgent.

How is that? Working on it?

Yes, sir.

Harry, you banked the hardest -working publisher I know. That's why we're

one. Oh, yeah.

Well, uh...

Tell me about this Chris Reardon.

Well, around here, everybody loved Brian Borelli, which means nobody likes Chris

Reardon. It's a miracle he hasn't been lynched.

What? Mr. Matlock, I was right there. I saw the guy who shot Mayor Borelli. He

looked like Chris Reardon. He even dressed like him. But I don't think it

him. I'm almost sure it wasn't him.

You know this guy?

Yeah, I know him.

They got him right up here.

You believe in the system of justice, don't you, Mr. Matlock?

Of course.

Now, the first thing we have to establish is where you were at the time

murder. You realize that the entire legal process was created by the rich

the rich, so there's no real justice.

Mr. Reardon, I can't defend you unless you answer my questions.

I need to know where you were at the time of the murder, who could have

into your home, used your typewriter. If you won't cooperate with me, you could

wind up in jail yet for the rest of your life. Mr. Matlock, I'm going to jail.

And not even you could change that.

Because I'm poor.

Because I protest society's corruption. Because the rich and powerful want to

silence my voice.

That's where it's at.

Mr. Reardon, you're a bright man, I suppose, but when your next lawyer

I'd get off my soapbox and talk about the case.

Guard! All right.

Not that I think it'll help much, but I'll tell you.

Harry Eubanks didn't send that telegram.

I did.

The fact is, Harry Eubanks thinks Chris Reardon did it.

But when I heard that you two were old friends, I had to send that telegram.

Chris doesn't have a prayer without a good attorney.

You could still back out.

What prejudice is case?

You got me up here to get a story.

No, I didn't. Then why?

Because I had to. Why?

Because I don't think he's guilty.

You don't? I saw the killer tear his jacket when he left the scene of the

Chris Rudin's jacket wasn't torn.

And unlike practically everybody else around here, Chris Rudin never sold out.

He's still fighting the good fight. I like that.

Because somebody used me to frame him.

I don't like that.

You own your own house.

Such as it is.

Get ready to transfer the title.

Somebody's going to pay my fee.

In view of the heinous nature of this crime,

and the substantial possibility of flight, bail is set in the amount of $1

million. Who the hell has $1 million?

Your Honor. $1 million.

I'll talk to him.

I understand I have you to thank for him.

Yeah, I feel badly about this. Good.

You ought to.

Mr. Matlock, before you talk to that judge, there are a few things you should

know.

Come in.

You got a minute, Your Honor?

One minute is about all I have, Counselor. And if it is about the case,

should call the Assistant State's Attorney.

Oh, that's up to you.

I'm here because it's come to my attention that you and the late Mayor

were old friends.

You're concerned about conflict of interest.

As a matter of fact, I am.

Don't be.

I won't be sitting on Reardon's trial.

I only sat on his bail hearing because Judge Powell was ill.

You can appeal the amount, but you won't do any better.

Brian Borelli had many old friends.

I'm due in court, Mr.

Matlock, so you'll excuse me.

You know her?

Yeah, Michelle Thomas, my associate.

Is she married?

No. Engaged?

No.

Living with anybody?

No.

Damn.

Oh, here we go.

Do you think the killer was hired by one of these people? Well, the press

conference wasn't called until the last minute. According to my source in the

mayor's office, these people were the only ones who knew when and where it was

going to be called.

Well, that's Judge Stuart Franklin.

Ex -cop, ex -city councilman.

Good friend of Mayor Borrelli.

I don't recognize this guy.

Jack Brennard.

He owns a couple of factories.

Good friend?

Supposedly. Why supposedly?

Because a couple of days before the murder, Brennert, Franklin, and Borelli

into a serious shoving match.

What about?

I don't know.

Is that Mrs. Borelli?

That's Joseph Chen, Borelli's right -hand man.

What about this girl, Press Aid?

Melissa Landis.

She's my source.

Well,

I guess we can start with these four.

Yeah.

I'll get Tyler.

We got a problem underneath.

Montero, look at pump number one.

I'll check up there.

Get number

two pumped.

Mr. Brenner? What? I'm Ben Matlock, Chris Reardon's lawyer. I'd like to ask

a couple questions.

Come on.

and have one.

Great, I need this. Some hot shot lawyer gets hurt outside and sues me out of

business.

What's your problem, huh?

Defending a lunatic like Reardon doesn't keep you busy enough?

What do you want with me?

I understand you and the mayor had quite a tussle over at his place last week.

Says who?

Paul O 'Neill. He was right outside the window. He heard the mayor accuse you

and Judge Franklin of betraying him. What did he mean by that?

Judge Franklin and I were there to talk about a run for the Senate. There wasn't

any fight.

Paul said there was.

Paul O 'Neill was trespassing, all right? Maybe he made up the story to

what he did.

Now, you're going to have to leave. I'm busy.

Really? I heard your business is way off.

Here, wear this.

Leave it by the front door on your way out.

Hey, Mr. Chan.

I'm Ben Matlock, Chris Reardon's lawyer.

I saw your picture in the paper.

Yes, well, I suppose you really have your work cut out for you now, don't

Mr. Matlock?

How's that?

You haven't heard.

Well, the prosecution, they have an eyewitness, Melissa Landis.

Mayor Borelli's press aide?

Yeah, she was standing right beside the mayor when he was shot.

Saw the killer very clearly, and she says it was Chris Reardon.

Huh.

She say why she was so long in coming forward?

From what I understand, she was at Janet Borelli's side all the way up until

this morning.

Well, if you'll excuse me, Mr. Matlock, I am quite late.

It was a pleasure meeting you.

Hey, Mr. Chan.

Are you and Jack Brenner good friends?

We're planning a memorial service for the mayor, yes.

Then you weren't worried that...

I might see you here.

Must have been my imagination.

I'm here to see Mrs. Borelli. I'm Michelle Thomas.

I'm an attorney with Ben Matlock's office.

I don't care who you are. Mrs. Borelli is not ready to talk to anyone.

Melissa, it's all right.

I'll talk with her.

But I've got to go back downtown.

Well, go ahead. I'll be fine.

All right.

But just let the phone ring because I've left the machine on. Thank you,

Melissa.

Goodbye.

I'm Michelle Thomas. It's nice to meet you.

Should we go in here?

I appreciate your seeing me.

Well, I'm only doing what I believe my husband would have wanted.

Please have a seat. Thank you.

Mrs. Borelli, I understand your husband met with Stuart Franklin and Jack

Brenner last Friday night.

That's correct.

Can you tell me what the meeting was about?

I'm sorry. I just said hello and then I left.

Well, I understand that they got into a violent argument.

No, I don't think so.

I was in the den reading. It's right next door. I would have heard.

Mrs. Borelli, may I see you for a moment?

Yes, of course. Will you excuse us? Sure.

Carlton, I got your message. If you really think we should talk, let's do it

over lunch.

Tomorrow. The senior.

One o 'clock.

Ah, there he is.

The security guard said we can go right up. Great. Tyler Hudson, Paul O 'Neill.

Nice to meet you, Paul. Hey.

Nicole Carlton called Janet Borelli today.

Who is Nicole Carlton? A model.

The talk is she and Mayor Borelli were very, very good friends.

Oh, and the decanter you said got broken during the fight in the mayor's

library? Yeah.

It's not broken anymore.

It's not crystal anymore either.

Mrs. Borelli replaced it.

Maybe she knows more than she thinks.

Somebody's coming.

What do you suppose they were fighting about?

I don't know.

Maybe we'll find out in the mayor's office.

It's O 'Neill, and this is the only way out.

It's no problem.

Joseph Chan. Call the paramedics.

I'll go this way. Right.

I came in to get some names and addresses I needed out of the mayor's

that memorial service.

As soon as I unlocked the door, Somebody came up from behind me, shoved me in,

and hit me over the head.

Did you get a look at him?

No, no, I didn't. I did.

He was a little under six feet.

Looked exactly like the guy who shot the mayor.

Any idea why someone would want to steal files from the mayor?

Now, wait a minute.

That implies that the mayor had something to hide.

It's not an unreasonable assumption.

Yes, well, that is simply not the case.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going home.

I'm very tired and my head is throbbing.

Good night.

You know, I'll be the first to admit, I don't like Joseph Chan.

But if the mayor had something to hide in his files, Joseph Chan would know

exactly what and where.

Now, maybe he and his friend came in here to get it.

Maybe they heard us coming and he had the other guy knock him out.

That devious?

Oh, yeah.

He does keep showing up.

Mm -hmm.

You want to get something to eat?

Uh, no.

Thanks.

I'm planning on having a big lunch tomorrow.

Yeah.

Yeah, give me some more. Come on, come on. Give me some more.

Yeah, yeah, like that. Yeah.

Yeah.

Terrific. That's a wrap.

Thanks, Nicole.

Thank you.

Miss Carlton, hi. I'm Michelle Thomas.

What's the ad for?

Perfume. Do I know you? No, I'm an attorney.

I'd like to talk to you about the lunch you had today with Mrs. Borelli.

First she tries to pay me off, and now she sticks her attorneys on me.

Is that it?

Tell her this for me, lady.

Tell her I have no intention of telling anyone about my relationship with her

husband. Not because of her.

Because of him.

What Brian and I shared was special.

You think I want to see the news media get hold of it?

Watch them drag his name through the mud?

Don't tell her to leave me alone.

I don't work for Mrs. Borelli. I represent the man accused of killing the

So, uh, Mrs. Borelli had money in that envelope at lunch.

I think I've told you enough.

I don't think so.

Brian Borelli and I were in love.

As soon as he became senator, he was going to divorce Janice and marry me.

I don't know whether he told her that or not, but if he did, you ought to be

talking to her.

I'm sure this is the place you brought it. Positive.

Thanks. He gave me a 20.

Lucky for you.

Hey, give me a beer.

Looking for somebody?

Yeah, actually, I am.

Big guy, long hair, wears a kind of long and back, fancy boots.

You mean Eddie?

Yeah. Too bad, you just missed him. Any idea where he went? We pretty much keep

our mouths shut around here, know what I mean?

What do I look like, a cop?

Yeah.

I owe Eddie some money from a card game.

He said he hung out here, so I thought I'd drop by and pay him off.

Leave the money with me, I'll give it to him.

Tell you what.

It's my name and phone number.

You have Eddie call me.

You're all mouth and no brain, know that? What are you talking about? That

didn't know Eddie. He didn't even know his name till you started flapping your

jaw. Take this over to Eddie's hotel.

Tell him this guy's looking for him.

Do it now.

I'm due in court in five minutes, Mr. Matlock. You should have made an

appointment. I know, and I tried, but you're a very busy man.

If you're not in court, you're meeting with civic leaders or organizing charity

events. I've always served my community, always.

You and Brian Borelli were pretty close friends,

weren't you?

He was like a brother to me.

I gather he helped secure...

your appointment to the bench.

Though the way I hear it, a lot of people were surprised you took it.

You are a popular councilman with a large constituency on the south side.

They kind of expected you to become mayor one day.

Being a judge is more stable and evidently a lot safer.

An odd coincidence, though, wasn't it?

What? Less than a month after your appointment, the man who was mayor...

resigned for reasons of health, and Brian Burley became mayor, and not you.

What are you getting at?

Well, maybe your old friend sandbagged you.

Maybe he knew the man was ill.

Got you appointed judge just to kind of, you know, get you out of the way.

That is ridiculous.

Yeah, I guess, sure. I mean, if you felt you had a score to settle with Mr.

Burley, Why wait around for three years to do anything about it?

Of course, it could explain that terrible argument.

Oh, here, let me help you. What argument?

The one out of his house.

He said you betrayed him, remember?

It's funny, imagine.

Accusing you of betraying him.

Golly, look at the time I'm due in court myself.

Maybe I'll see you there.

You never can tell.

Not anymore.

So, you carry a piece.

You a cop?

No, just paranoid.

Lots of senators get

divorced.

Not if they want to become president.

Still, people might think you were trying to buy Miss Carlton off as a way

covering up the fact that... You had a motive for killing him.

That's not true.

That's how it could look.

You don't intend to make these accusations public, do you?

Critch Reardon is innocent, Mrs. Borelli.

Ben Matlock and I intend to prove that.

If we have to make all this public, we will.

Is that a threat?

It's a strong suggestion that you be honest with us.

I have been honest.

The argument your husband had in here with Franklin and Brennert.

What was it about?

I don't know.

I think you do.

I'd like you to leave now.

If you really believed in justice, Mrs. Borelli, you'd help us find the man who

killed him.

Mr. Madhawk, where have you been?

I caught up with the guy we were chasing last night.

Actually, he caught up with me, knocked me out with my own gun, which we then

stole.

You were carrying a gun?

I thought I might run into trouble.

You suckered me into taking this case, but now it's my case. I'll tell you

where, and if you're going to get in trouble.

I'm already in trouble. I don't have a permit for the gun.

You've got to go find that gun.

I can't.

have been subpoenaed.

Who was the man who pointed the gun at you wearing, Mr. O 'Neill?

Jeans, an army jacket, sunglasses, and a Chicago Cubs baseball cap.

You accompanied Sergeant Marshall to the defendant's apartment about an hour

later, correct?

Yes. When the defendant arrived home, what was he wearing?

Jeans, an army jacket, sunglasses, and a Chicago Cubs baseball cap, but...

That's all, Mr. O 'Neill.

Defense wish to cross?

Please.

The man who pointed the gun at you when you were chasing him, was it Chris

Reardon? No, it was not.

Melissa Landis said it was Chris Reardon. It was a guy dressed up to look

Chris Reardon.

What makes you so sure?

Well, for one thing, the man who shot Mayor Borelli tore his sleeve making his

getaway. The jacket Chris Reardon was wearing an hour later was not torn.

And for another thing, the letter I got tipping me off to the assassination was

not written by Chris Reardon.

An expert said it was typed on his typewriter. It was.

But whenever Chris wrote to me about Mayor Borelli, he always misspelled his

name. Instead of two L's and one R, he always used two R's and one L.

Is there any other reason you think the

assassin was someone other than Chris Reardon? Yeah.

To a lot of people, Chris Reardon is a royal pain in the... I understand.

He protests.

He demonstrates. He makes noise.

But that's because he believes this can be a better place.

He sees what's wrong. He doesn't give up.

But he doesn't kill people.

He's loud.

He bothers people. So there's a lot of people that would like to believe that

did it.

But I've talked with him. I've written about him. I know him.

Chris Reardon couldn't commit murder.

Having heard the testimony presented by the prosecution, this court finds reason

to believe the crime of murder in the first degree has been committed.

The defendant shall be bound over for trial on June 7th in District

Court 2 at 9 a .m.

Court adjourned.

Well, round one for the bad guys.

But you put up a pretty good fight.

Uh, Ben.

Hmm?

Janice Borelli, Ben Matlock.

Hello.

There was an argument that night, and Brian was very upset.

And you were right, Miss Thomas.

Whatever upset Brian, I don't think he would have wanted it swept under the

You didn't hear anything?

Ask Joseph Chan.

He arranged that meeting. He had to have known what was going on.

It was nice to meet you.

I've known Joseph Chan a long time. Let me check this out.

Chad?

Ben Matlock, please.

Ben, it's Paul.

Jan's been killed.

Shot through the chest. Looks like it happened just before I got here.

Okay.

Yeah, reporting a murder at 2733 Woodman Avenue.

Hold it!

Please!

Sergeant.

Matlock, right? Yes. Ritten's lawyer.

Yeah. Is Paul O 'Neill around?

Not anymore.

Where'd he go?

That's what we like to know. A couple of my men saw him leaving the scene just

as they arrived.

Had a gun on him.

Why?

I'm putting a warrant out for his arrest.

Too bad you're taken.

Because he's going to need one hell of a good lawyer.