Original subtitles

Hey, what are you doing? None of your business.

You remember me?

You were looking for Eddie. Yeah, and you're the guy who led me down the

Primrose Pass. This time you're going to talk.

That paper's five days old.

So who's going to note it?

I got over there, Mike.

What the hell do you think you're doing running like that?

I had to. My gun was used to shoot Joseph Chan. The police would have

did it.

They still think you did it. Yeah, but at least this way I'm not in jail.

Now I know who stole the gun.

I know who shot Mr. Chan and probably killed the mayor.

Is there a name?

Eddie Lomax. He flew by charter plane to a little hick town in Texas this

morning. How'd you find out?

Went to his hotel and gave the desk clerk a 20 to let me look at his phone

Oh, good.

Now maybe you ought to turn yourself in.

I'm going to Texas.

No, no, you're not. I have to.

You're a fugitive.

Every policeman in this town's looking for you.

I need some cash.

Forget it.

Well, forget it. I'm not helping you flee across state lines.

I'm not fleeing. Forget it. I know what I'm doing.

I'll do it if I have to walk.

You have any thoughts of what you're going to do when you find this fellow?

Call you.

The police have probably questioned everybody around here who had the view

Chan's house.

Oh, they think Paul O 'Neill's their man.

They're not going to ask him any questions, though.

Blow their case.

Well, I am.

Nobody's going to railroad him if I can help it.

He likes you, too.

I know.

I think you've got a crush on him.

I know.

How do you know?

I just know.

The way he looks at you?

Yeah.

Nobody knows what goes on in a neighborhood better than somebody who

leaves it.

Mrs. Lucinski?

Thank you so much. You're such a dear.

You're welcome. Oh, this smells wonderful.

Thank you.

Hello. My name's Ben Matlock, and this is Michelle Thomas. I wonder if we might

ask you a few questions?

Well, certainly.

Come on right in.

Sit down. Thank you.

My name is Sarah Luzin.

Please, eat your dinner while it's hot.

Oh, thank you. Are you a police officer too, dear? No, no, I'm an attorney.

We're both attorneys.

You know that the man across the street was murdered last night.

I know.

Terrible. A terrible thing.

And Mr. Chan, such a sweet man.

The yard look always so nice.

Of course, he had a gardener. Nice -looking young man. Very strong.

Very particular.

Pruning all the time.

Well, did you notice anything out of the ordinary last night?

You do spend a good bit of time in front of that

window.

That's why you thought we were police officers. You saw me go in Mr. Chan's

house with them last night, didn't you?

Yes.

What else did you see?

Maybe if I would have some time to think about it. Mrs. Levinsky, it's all right

to get involved.

But that's not what I'm afraid of. If anybody for one second thought you were

danger, you'd be protected.

You mean people will stay with me?

Sarah, you tell us what you saw.

I guarantee people will stay with you, talk with you, visit with you.

Well, first I saw a kind of tall man with long brown hair wearing cowboy

boots. He went into Mr.

Chan's house. Then, a little bit later, another man I didn't know went in. This

man with the long brown hair in cowboy boots.

Did you get a good look at his face?

Yep.

Look.

See?

Oh.

Why, look at that.

He looks just like Lee Arthur Greenway.

Oh? I dated him once.

Oh, Leota?

Yes, when I was in high school. Oh.

How's it going?

Oh, well, fine, Sergeant, thank you. And this one looks like Floyd Dinkleman.

Floyd Dinkleman went to my high school, too. He threw up a lot.

Oh.

Yes.

What the hell has taken her so long? She doesn't get out much, and it's kind of

fun for her.

You kill me.

The only guy she saw running from the scene of the crime was O 'Neal, and

the guy I want to talk to.

There he is. Now, here.

Eddie Lomax.

Eddie Lomax.

That verifies Paul O 'Neal's story.

And in any court of law, he's off the hook.

Thank you very much, Mrs. Lindsay.

You're very welcome, Sergeant.

Well, well.

If it weren't for Chris, we could be done now. Yeah. But let's see if Eddie

Lomax has ever had dealings with our other suspects.

That is after we take Sarah here for a sarsaparilla and hear a little more

Leo the Greenway.

Well, that will take a double vodka martini.

Next time we're sitting where I can smoke.

It won't be next time.

Good Lord.

Oh, yeah.

Judge Franklin.

Mr. Brennan.

Your secretary told me you'd be here. I told her it was a matter of life or

death.

But since I've got you both here, this man's name is Eddie Lomax. You recognize

him? Can't help you.

You ever work in one of your factories?

How would I know? Ask my personnel manager.

How about you, Judge? Did he ever appear before you?

Not as far as I know.

Hey, we're trying to have dinner here. Do you mind?

Oh.

Oh.

Janice, please come. Sit down.

Mr. Matlock was just leaving.

Well, perhaps you care to join us for a drink.

Oh, no, thank you. I have to be going. I'm sure you all have a lot to discuss.

So I'll have to... Goodbye.

What was he doing here?

Nothing for you to concern yourself with.

We haven't seen you since the funeral, Janice.

We were worried about you.

I'm holding up.

Janice, you know we were Brian's good friends, and so

if there's anything that we can do, anything that you need... Thank you.

very sweet.

Actually, there is something you can do for me.

I don't know what the two of you have been up to, but I'm pretty sure that it

cost my husband his life and Joseph Chan his.

I'm also pretty sure that if I took what I do know to someone like Ben Matlock,

he just might be able to put it all together.

So this is what you can do for me, gentlemen.

You can cut me in.

Now you come unglued out there and you don't have a prayer. I don't have a

prayer anyway. The whole world's got me tried, convicted, and fed.

You lose your temper with those people, it's going to be in the newspaper, it's

going to be on television, and you're going to make it real easy for people to

believe that you are some kind of raving maniac who could very well have shot

the mayor.

Now, I'm going to tell you something.

If there's one thing I hate, it's losing a case before I ever walk in the

courtroom. Now, that's going to be the longest 20 yards you ever walked. But

you've got to walk it, and you've got to keep your cool.

You got that?

Now turn around, face that mirror, and repeat after me.

No comment. We'll have a statement later.

Excuse us.

Look what you just did, Pinhead.

Now.

That's right. I was Mayor Borelli's press aide.

It was my job to deal with the news media.

Not only did I organize the press conference that morning, but I was at

Borelli's side when he was shot.

You were standing there, yes, but did you actually see the person who shot

Miss Landis?

Yes.

As the mayor began his speech, I looked around, you know, to gauge people's

reactions.

I happened to look toward the mezzanine, and I saw someone standing there

pointing a gun right at Brian. A split second later, the man fired.

Is that man here in this courtroom today? Yes.

He's right there.

That's the man who killed Mayor Borelli. That's a lie!

I will refrain from making any comment. Am I really supposed to sit here while

people lie?

Why the hell don't you make your own truth?

your client.

Are you or are you not going to yield to the authority of this court and comport

yourself properly from here on out? No, I will not. I will not. I have no choice

but to deal with you the way I've always dealt with people like you.

Bailiff?

Prosecution may continue.

The records show that Miss Landis has identified the defendant as the man she

saw shoot Mayor Brian Borelli.

I have no further questions.

Defense wish to cross?

Yes, Your Honor.

Before I cross, I feel compelled to say that while his honor

is within his rights, in over 30 years of practice, I have never seen

anything to equal this.

Mr. Matlock, I've dealt with your client.

Don't force me to deal with you.

Of course, Your Honor.

Having made my statement that in 30 years I've never seen anything to equal

and knowing it's on the record, I will move on. Mr. Matlock. With the court's

permission, I would like to recreate some of the conditions

that existed in the rotunda that morning.

Theatrics? Mr. Matlock?

Theatrics. Mr. Matlock. Your Honor, I need to make a point here.

And I need these theatrics to make that point.

Proceed.

Miss Landis, what's press conference like?

It's very hectic.

Reporters running around all over the place.

Cameras, microphones, cables.

Lights. Oh, yes.

You can't have TV and film coverage without lights.

Let me explain what I've done here. I've asked these gentlemen from the TV

station to come down and set up lights the way they were at the rotunda that

morning.

Now, you were by the mayor while he was making his speech, so let's pretend he's

making his speech, all right?

All right. Now, the lights were on you as they are now.

Um, well, well... Approximately.

You had about this much light on. Well, yes, I guess it was about this much.

Of course, conditions are not exactly as they were in the rotunda that morning.

The man you saw fire the shot was much farther away from you than I am now.

And you had to look above the lights rather than below them. Is that right?

Yes, yes, that's right.

But you can still see me?

Yes. Can you see me well enough to point to me?

Sure. Give me a good strong point.

You didn't really get a good look

at the man who fired the shot, did you?

You saw someone dressed like Chris Reardon.

And in your desire to see someone punished for bringing Brian Borelli's

to such a sudden and tragic end, you rushed to a judgment, didn't you?

Yes.

Nothing further.

Hey.

Hi, my name's Paul O 'Neill.

Listen, there's a guy in the bar over there who's wanted for questioning a

murder investigation in Illinois.

The hell you say?

Who? Eddie Lomax.

That's kind of hard to believe. Eddie, I've known Eddie for years.

Gets into his fair share of scrap, but, uh, murder?

You a cop?

No.

You got her rid of extradition?

I thought you might call.

I'm afraid I can't do that.

Not on your word.

He can't just let him go free.

Until he breaks a law in my jurisdiction, I sure as hell can.

almost got me fired the last time you were here. Did you know that, Mr.

Brantley? Oh, I'm sorry, but you must be doing something right. Mr. Brantley.

I just want to ask him a couple questions about... Judge Brantley.

Where the hell did he go?

When I see him, I'll ask him.

Good night.

I got him!

I got him!

All right.

All right.

Hey, you remember me.

What the hell are you doing here?

Well, I just wanted to thank you.

You know, for cracking my head open in that alley, stealing my gun, framing me

for chance murder, shooting Mayor Borelli.

Actually, I'm doing a poll of killers, and I thought I should start with you.

What did you call me a murderer you should be sent to the chair

It was self -defense.

He hit me first.

Come on.

Who do you think hit whom?

Mr. Montero?

Yeah. Good morning. Here's your paper.

Interesting article on page two about that warehouse that blew up a couple

ago.

Who are you?

My name's Ben Matlock. I'm a lawyer.

I went to see your boss, Jack Brennert, the other day, but he didn't want to see

me, so he slipped out. But my associate followed him.

And guess what?

What? My associates saw him slip you an attache case. He figured there was some

money in it, a payoff or something, so he followed you.

He did what?

Yeah.

Followed you to that warehouse, watched you put the attache case down on a desk,

and then watched you leave.

And then you know what happened?

Damn thing blew up. Big explosion. Startled Tyler.

So what do you want?

I want you in court today.

Forget it.

Get your foot out of my door before I call the cops.

Please, call them.

I'll show them this subpoena. They'll put your hind end in the back seat of

patrol car and you'll be in court.

Ready?

Yeah.

Mr. Brenner, you have widespread real estate holdings in Chicago, don't you?

That's true.

According to the official deed recorded at the courthouse, you have purchased

ten industrial parcels in the last six months. Is that right?

Quite true.

Why all this rush to buy west side industrial property? Real estate

Mr. Matlock. Buy low, sell high. It's very simple.

You wouldn't by any chance be pressuring these businessmen into selling, would

you? I always offer a high market value.

And this rash of fires on the west side recently, you wouldn't know anything

about that, would you? In business, you take advantage of the breaks.

Or make your own.

What is that, an accusation?

Your Honor, I have subpoenaed another witness to testify this morning, and I'd

like him removed from the courtroom at this time so that he won't be influenced

by anything that Mr. Brennert may or may not say.

Very well.

Where is this witness? He's right back there, Mr. Thomas Montero.

Baylor?

Tom Montero works for you, doesn't he?

Yes.

He's an arsonist. Objection. Relevancy. No foundation. He torches buildings so

that you can go in later and buy them up cheaply, doesn't he? That's a lie.

Objection. Relevancy.

Mr. Matlock, Your Honor, in a moment, I'll show relevancy.

Proceed.

Now, Mr. Brenner, the penalty for perjury in this state is severe, so I

give you a chance to reconsider your testimony.

And I remind you, that Mr. Montero is just outside that door. Now, we'll get

truth out of you, or we'll get it out of him.

Now, did you or did you not provide him with incendiary devices that he

used to burn one or more buildings on the west side?

I did not. And if he says I did, he's a liar.

Why did you want those properties so badly? Just tell us.

Read my lips, will you? Real estate speculation.

Speculation.

That's... When you buy property without knowing whether its value will go up or

down.

But you knew, didn't you?

And I know something, too.

You're not going to get away with this. I'm going to break your heart.

There was no real speculation, was there?

You had inside information from Mayor Borelli which properties on the west

would be condemned by the city.

for the purpose of building the new inner -city expressway, didn't you?

Yes, it's true, but I didn't kill anybody.

One thing at a time.

You knew the route of the expressway.

Yes, I did.

And that's why you were so anxious to get those properties, because you knew

city would then have to buy them from you.

That's right.

And the mayor found out about what you were doing.

And that's when he accused you of betraying him, and that's why he had to

killed. I didn't kill anybody.

Stuart Franklin and Janice Borelli, they were my partners.

Don't ask me who killed Brian. Ask them.

Maybe I will.

Uh, a moment, Your Honor.

Eddie Lomax is now in the custody of the Chicago Police Department.

Your Honor, may counsel approach the bench. Mr. Price.

Must have really given him an earful, huh, Chris?

Your Honor, I'd like to request an adjournment until tomorrow morning. I

time to interview a new and possibly vital witness.

Who hired you to kill Joseph Chan?

I don't know what you're talking about. Same person who hired you to kill Mayor

Borelli? Still don't know what you're talking about. We can place you at

Chan's murder.

Big deal.

A smart man would make it easy on himself, Eddie. This is boring.

And I'm missing dinner.

So, when you got something, you give me a call.

What's going on?

Nothing much

It's self -defense.

Tell me what happened.

They put me in a cell with him. Next thing I know, he's starting to swing at

So I duck.

He keeps coming after me. So I swing at him. Only I connect.

Then I see he's got a shiv in his hand.

He comes at me.

I grab it.

He knocks me around.

We roll around the floor wrestling.

Next thing I know, it's sticking out of his chest.

He started it?

You bet.

Did you know one another?

Never saw him before in my life. Stand up.

Eddie's right hand was broken in two places. His arm was in a sling.

But he started a fight with a total stranger who was a foot taller and 50

heavier than him. Is that it?

That's what happened.

There's nothing in here on Jimmy Dolan.

And so much for the clippings on Jack Brenner.

Now what?

I don't know.

But I'm starving.

You know, it's taken everything I have not to make a pass at you.

I'll take that as a compliment.

Maybe you'll stick around after the case?

That could be tomorrow if we don't find something.

Hey, look at this.

What is it?

Jimmy Dolan's rap sheet.

That's a lot of arrests.

37. There's no convictions.

Doesn't even look like he's ever been to trial.

Tell you anything?

Your Honor.

Before we begin and before the jury enters, my client would like to make a

brief personal statement.

Very well.

Bailiff?

I'm sorry I behaved so disrespectfully.

It's something I regret.

And it won't happen again.

Bailiff, remove the restraints and then bring in the jury.

I hope that wasn't just a speech your attorneys had you memorize, Mr. Reardon.

If you disrupt these proceedings again, I'll throw all of you in jail for

contempt of court.

Yes, sir.

At this time, defense would like to call Judge Stuart Franklin to the stand.

I understand you and Mayor Borelli were old friends.

His ghetto was across the alley from mine.

We grew up together.

Did you go to school together?

Through high school, and then he went on to college, and I joined the police

force. And that gave you the opportunity to go to night school and eventually

earn a law degree.

That's correct.

You're a real bootstrapped man, Judge Franklin.

Voters like that.

It's no wonder.

that you were elected to the city council by such a landslide.

And Brian Borelli was on the council with you, wasn't he? Yes, he was.

Two old friends serving side by side.

Must have been quite a shock when he stabbed you in the back.

He did no such thing.

Well, Judge Franklin, it's common knowledge that Brian Borelli convinced

take the judgeship which you now hold.

And with you out of the running, the leaders of the political party at the

turned to him as the candidate.

That's warmed -over backroom gossip.

He destroyed your chances of ever being mayor of this city, and you never

forgave him, did you?

That is not true.

Oh, I know. You've said over and over again what old and dear friends you

And you didn't hesitate to use that friendship, did you?

Or inside information.

Information that could do two things.

Make you a lot of money, and maybe somewhere down the line, destroy the

political career of your old friend.

What you've said is not true.

Do you deny that you were a member of a plan

to buy up industrial West Side property?

The only property I own in this city is my home. Judge Franklin, as a jurist you

know full well you did not answer my question. And you, sir, have not

any evidence to prove I was a member of this conspiracy.

A simple yes or no will do.

Were you a member of a conspiracy to purchase West Side property? No, I was

But you did know of the plan the city had to build a new road. Of course. And

you discussed the route with the mayor. I may have. I don't recall.

I failed to the point of all this, Your Honor. Your Honor, I'll make the point

right now.

Please do.

Immediately.

Please tell the court what this is.

A check.

Made out in what amount?

$150 ,000.

Made out to whom?

Janice Borelli.

Made out... By whom?

Me. Yeah.

Yeah.

Now, you may wonder what I'm doing with this check.

Well, I'll tell you.

Janice Borelli gave it to me.

Right after she convinced you... That a three -way conspiracy would be better

than going to jail. You see, she was actually conspiring with me.

You remember that meeting you had in that fancy restaurant?

If you don't, I'm sure she'll come up here on the stand and remind you.

I remember it.

So, you do not deny you were a member of Mr.

Brennert's scheme?

No.

Actually, it was Joseph Chan's scheme, wasn't it? He came to you first. He

needed you to help persuade the mayor the new expressway should go through the

industrial section of the west side rather than through the predominantly

residential section on the south side. At least, that's what you told Mrs.

Borrelli. Yes, but... None of this has anything whatsoever to do with the

before this court, which is whether or not your client is guilty of murder. I

have to concur, Your Honor. This line of questioning is irrational and

distracting. Your Honor, may I just take a different approach?

Proceed. Thank you.

Do you know a fellow named Eddie Lomax?

Only through conversations I've had with you. The police extradited him from

Texas. to charge him with Joseph Chan's murder and to question him about the

mayor's murder.

And knowing how fast news travels around the courthouse, I figured you'd heard

about it. Mr. Matlock, I am too busy to listen to gossip.

All right, let's forget about Eddie Lomax for the moment.

Do you know who Jimmy Dolan is?

Sorry, I've never heard of him.

Before you were a judge...

Before you were on the city council, before you were a public defender, you

a what?

A police officer. A police officer. And back when you were a police officer,

there was a young man named Jimmy Dolan who was arrested on crimes ranging from

assault to grand theft 37 times and never went to trial, never

prosecuted.

Now, do you remember?

Well, let me read you what some of the resting officers had to say back then.

This one is by Detective Ted Withers.

May 17, 1974. Released Jimmy Dolan.

Dropped grand theft auto charge at Stuart Franklin's request.

Detective Sergeant Arthur Weingarten, November 14.

1976. Surefire case against Jimmy Dolan dropped.

Reeve Sergeant Stuart Franklin.

Sergeant Stuart Franklin.

That was you, wasn't it?

Yes.

Jimmy Dolan was your snitch, wasn't he?

Yes.

He did favors for you, you did favors for him.

It was so long ago.

He recruited Eddie Lomax for you, didn't he? No. Mayor Borelli was about to

expose you as the Judas you are, not only for betraying him, but for

members of the black community who would have benefited had that expressway been

built through their district.

So you had Jimmy Dolan hire someone to assassinate the mayor and Joseph Chan,

didn't he? No. And that man was Eddie Lomax. None of this is true. Once the

police got hold, of Eddie Lomax.

You asked Jimmy Dolan to do one last favor for you, didn't you? You had him

stab Eddie Lomax to death in his cell.

That's right.

Eddie Lomax is dead.

And he was killed by a man who was hired.

By this man.

Coincidence?

It's a mere coincidence.

You have not proved one thing.

Maybe not.

And I don't really have to.

But I'm pretty sure I've demonstrated that someone other than my client had a

damn good reason to kill Mayor Borrelli.

That someone hired someone else to actually commit the crime.

So the first someone might escape detection.

As far as my client's concerned, it's called reasonable doubt.

And, so far as proof, I met Jimmy Dolan.

Tall drink of water.

But I'm sure when the good officers of the Chicago Police Department talk with

him for a while, he'll get a little shorter.

Nothing further.

We, the jury, find the defendant not guilty.

Thank you, ladies and gentlemen.

This court is adjourned.

Pretty good system, huh?

Better than I thought.

Thanks. Okay.

Congratulations. Hey, listen.

If you ever find yourself in this situation again, don't yell at the

Cheers.

Dinner tonight?

Oh, I have to pack.

Oh. I have a story to write.

Well, what?

I owe you a title to my house.

Oh.

Well, that's okay.

There's probably somewhere I wouldn't want to live anyway.