Original subtitles

The shelter that is so desperately needed by the city's homeless families,

particularly its children, is finally a reality.

And so I gratefully accept this award that you've given me, but really this

award belongs to you and to the community for all the work that you've

so I really, I just want to thank you, each and every one of you, for all your

support and your generosity. Thank you very much.

So good to see you.

Good night.

Stephen.

Stephen, would you be an angel right over here?

Leanne. Leanne McIntyre, is that you? Hello, fellas. How are you?

Oh, busy as ever. Just go, go, go.

Well, let's take a look at you.

I didn't know you knew Gil.

Well, actually, I don't, but I agreed to do some legal aid work for the shelter.

Isn't that sweet?

Oh, speak of the devil.

Phyllis, I've got to meet Gordon at the office.

Gil's daughter, Leanne McIntyre.

Hi, how do you do? Nice to meet you.

You too.

Congratulations. Thank you. Thank you very much for coming. Thanks.

I'm Gil Stoddard. These are my offices.

Where's Gordon?

Mr. Stoddard? Yes. I'm Lieutenant Harmon Andrews, Atlanta Police.

What's happened here, Damon? Where the hell's Gordon?

I'm sorry, Mr. Stoddard. There's no easy way to say this.

Your partner's dead.

No, no, no, no. That's... No.

He was murdered early this evening.

Oh, God.

Oh, God, no, no, no.

Oh, when?

We assumed the murderer gained access through the back door.

But we had an alarm.

It wasn't on.

My guess is it was early. Mr. Light felt safe.

He heard something, though, because he pressed the alarm in his office.

The alarm company received a call at 927.

When my men got here about six minutes later, they found him dead.

He didn't go to the banquet because we had this big presentation to make.

Oh, God, he'd still be alive.

There's no need for you to go up there.

Stoddard!

Oh, God.

Jimmy, let me call.

Lieutenant Andrews, we're ready to spray the room.

Yeah, yeah, okay, okay, go ahead.

Here, put that on your neck.

I think you ought to go downstairs.

No, it's... I'm okay. I am.

Mr. Stoddard, it's not necessary for you to be here. Damon, I need to know what

happened here.

Okay.

Apparently, there was quite a struggle.

He was stabbed a number of times.

And then strangled.

Strangled? with a wire.

The lab boys here are spraying with Lumaglow.

It's a chemical that picks up bloodstains, including any the killer

tried to wash away. It'll cause them to glow in the dark.

Now, by doing this, we can pinpoint exactly where the crime took place, and

hopefully we can reconstruct how it happened.

You're right. I don't need to say this.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will

dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Amen. Amen.

Gordon was my partner, my mentor, and my

dearest friend.

He brought joy and wisdom to all of us in our lives.

are less for his passing.

I know how much you love your brother, Richard.

Richard, we both loved him.

And now we've lost him. And I was just hoping that somehow, through all this

grief, we could start over.

Why?

So I can sit back and shut up?

Once you destroy the business of my brother built I

Don't think so

Good to see you, Ben. How you doing?

Fresh biscuits, blueberry pancakes, sourwood honey.

Can't get much better.

Sit down.

All right.

I've been reading about a friend of yours.

Oh, yeah? Yeah, Gil Stoddard.

You are investigating your partner's murder, aren't you? Yeah.

You got anything?

Not a heck of a lot.

We think Gordon Light heard somebody enter the building because the emergency

alarm was pressed.

You want some breakfast?

Yeah.

I'll have what he's having.

This is the alarm panel.

Now, in order to set off the emergency alarm, you've got to put a code in here.

You've got to press these two buttons at the same time, like this.

So you think that Gordon Light probably heard something and then pressed these

two buttons?

Well, that's what we thought.

But when the Lamb Boys dusted the panel, Gordon Light's fingerprints weren't on

it. Nobody's were.

Oh, so you think somebody else set off the alarm and then wiped these buttons

clean? Mm -hmm. And I think that somebody else was his partner.

You're kidding.

The man's devoted his life to the homeless.

Oh, come on, Ben.

I mean, who else would have done it? Who else would have known about the alarm?

The man had no enemies.

What's Gil Stoddard's motive?

Greed. The whole company's his.

Oh, he set himself up pretty good, didn't he? Yeah.

Around $8 million good.

Well,

he has an alibi, sure. Well, yes and no. He was a guest of honor over to dinner

at the Atlanta Towers Hotel.

Now, nobody remembers seeing him leave, but that doesn't mean that he couldn't

have sneaked out and sneaked back in without anybody noticing.

Thank you.

Looks good.

I know he had a reason to kill him.

I know he had the opportunity.

I just don't know how to nail him.

No?

Maybe he'll trim himself up.

Good?

Yeah, boy.

I'd love some of that.

Here,

Lieutenant.

Andrew is here.

Hello, Lieutenant Andrews. May I help you?

I want to talk to you about the light murder.

In a surprise announcement this morning, the district attorney made public the

indictment of Gil Stoddard. Okay, Dad, I'm leaving. I'll see you later.

I'll be.

What'd you say?

Harmon Andrews just arrested Gil Stoddard for the murder of his partner.

After all this time?

Well, Harmon told me, well, five months ago.

that he was trying to nab him, but he didn't have cause.

What changed?

Well, a lady, a lady of the night, I guess, named

Cindy, I believe they said Foreman, came home from spending the winter in San

Diego, and she heard what happened and went right down and told Harmon. And she

said that two nights before Gordon Light was killed, she spent... the you know

the night with him and she said he was a nice guy and he said that gil's

daughter was a bum and he was going to dissolve the partnership and get rid of

what well i don't know i haven't been following the case but

with all the charity work he does you wouldn't think would you just turn that

a little bit were you surprised by these charges at all why do you feel about

these charges you met him didn't you briefly

I'd be surprised if you remembered my name.

Mr. Doyle, I have to ask you, why do you think it took so long to press these

charges? How do you think about this indictment? No comment.

Mr. Doyle, please.

How can they do this to me? How could anyone believe I would kill Gordon?

I've got to tell you, Gil, they've got a very strong case.

I didn't. I couldn't do something like this, not to anybody.

Look, you're in very deep trouble, my friend, and you're going to need nothing

but the very best. But what do you say we give Bailey or Dershowitz?

All right, then how about Ben Matlock?

Maybe.

How about Leanne?

That's one of my conditions, Mr. Doyle.

All right, if he's willing to do that, I'll consider representing him.

I'll give him my other conditions when I see him.

You too.

Thanks a lot.

Bye -bye.

You going to take the card case?

Well, I said I'd consider it if he consents to taking a lie detector test.

That would be interesting.

I hear Harmon's got a pretty strong case against her.

Maybe. But the Atlanta police have had strong cases against a lot of people.

Never stopped someone I know from representing them.

Nothing like being hung by your own history.

What if he fails the test?

I drop out.

I'm going to pick him up at 5 .30. Wish me luck.

Good luck.

I think you should take a leave of absence from work and keep as low a

as you can. Okay.

Anything else?

Yes.

I drop clients the moment I find out they've lied to me.

Not to worry. I don't plan on lying.

Good.

I think I've made the right choice.

What did you see that night when you arrived at the office?

Blood.

It was, uh...

It was on the rug, it was on the cushion.

It was everywhere.

Gordon's secretary packed up most of his things and she had the room redone, but

it didn't make any difference. I haven't stepped into this room since it

happened.

You don't look very well. Why don't we go somewhere else and do this?

This must be very difficult for you.

Yes, it is.

Thank you.

So, I heard you were divorced.

Yes.

You, of course, know our good friend Phyllis Ridgway. Oh, yes.

At the banquet for the shelter, she said she heard that nasty old husband of

mine had dumped me.

I won't call her what I'm thinking.

She said she also thought that throwing myself into charity work would just

banish those dumped woman blues.

If that woman didn't know so many people, I would not have her on the

board.

Is it hard?

What's that?

The divorce.

Yeah. At first it was real hard, but now it's okay.

Yeah, me too.

Oh, yeah? Yeah, yeah, I'm a reject.

What is it they say?

Marriage is forever, love.

Well, maybe for some.

Yeah, maybe for some.

Well, I have a month to build a cave.

You ready?

Ready as I'll ever be.

Why'd you go back to the office that night?

Well, as usual, Gordon was burning the midnight oil. He's working on a new ad

campaign, and he wanted me to take a look at it before the presentation.

And you weren't there any other time earlier that evening?

Gordon was like a brother to me. I loved him.

I did not kill him.

What are you doing here?

Appointment. I thought maybe we'd have lunch.

Oh, well, this is going to take a little while.

Oh, Dad, I'd like you to meet my client, Gil's daughter. Gil, my father, Ben

Matlock. Sir, it's an honor. Nice to meet you.

I can hang around.

Okay.

Well, you better go inside. I don't want you to be late.

He looks calm.

Jurors like to believe that guys like him who have everything are guilty.

Makes life seem fairer.

I never thought this case would be easy.

He passed, Leanne. A plus.

Straight as an arrow.

The machine loved him. That's great.

Thanks a lot.

I wouldn't hang my head on that.

What do you mean, Dad? Do you think the polygraph man is dead?

No. You remember Gus Whitlow? Sure.

I mean, he passed two polygraphs and would have gotten off if the police

decided to dig up his...

backyard anyway, and they found bodies going back 14 years.

I remember.

Gus was some kind of psychopath, and sometimes psychopaths can fool a lie

detector.

So what are you saying, Dad?

You think Gil Stoddard is a psychopath?

Well, no, no. It's just I... I don't trust him.

Why? I don't know. It's just the... gut.

But he's not my client. He's yours, Leanne. And if you do believe him,

got to go with it.

I do.

And I am.

Would anybody else have had a key to your offices?

Cleaning staff, secretaries. I'll speak to him. Anybody else?

I don't think so.

Medium or rare?

Medium.

How about any other staff? Maybe a relative?

Let me think.

Perfect. Looks good.

You want to... Oh, I'm sorry.

So what do they say? Only accountants talk business over dinner?

Did I say something wrong? No.

No, not at all.

You mean you don't like going to parties?

Not really.

So are you telling me that your idea of a good time is to argue in court all day

instead of getting all dressed up and going to a party?

Well, I like to work.

And parties put me to sleep.

You don't like being bored.

It gets me in no end of trouble.

Interesting trouble, I bet.

Dinner was delicious.

Thank you.

We should get back to work.

Birthday in court should be fairly routine.

Although the DA's pretty clever, I'll probably start off with a character

witness, somebody who doesn't like you.

Okay. My guess is it'll be Richard, Gordon's brother.

Could Richard have had a key to your office?

Sure, but he adored his brother. If Richard wanted to kill anybody, he would

have killed me.

The facts in this case will bear us out.

People will prove beyond a reasonable doubt that on the night of September

of last year, the defendant left the banquet in his honor at the Atlanta

Hotel and returned to his office, where he savagely murdered his partner.

The people will also prove that despite appearances, at the time of his

partner's death, Gil Stoddard had a very serious problem. The partner on whom he

depended was about to dissolve their partnership.

And with Gordon Light gone, the gravy train would have ended for Gil Stoddard.

He would have gotten a small payoff.

But more importantly, he would have been left with no company and no future.

The defense would like you to think that Gil Stoddard lost one of the people he

loved most in this life, when in actuality, he murdered him.

in cold blood to protect the two things in life he couldn't live without, money

and power.

Thank you.

By my watch, it's 12 .30. This court is adjourned until 9 a .m. Monday morning.

How are you?

Not great.

I wish I could tell you the work was over.

This is some process. Some guy I never even met stands up and accuses me of a

crime too horrible to even think about. Let's get out of here.

Hey, Gil.

Enjoy your freedom.

I don't think even you'll be able to charm your way out of this one.

Gil. I'm okay. Let me show you what keeps me sane.

How did you get involved with it?

Well... I got tired of giving a dollar here and ten minutes there.

Hi. Hi. And I just decided that I wanted to do something that would make a real

difference.

How long do the people usually stay here?

As long as it takes them to get a job, find a place to live. Our objective here

is to get people back on their feet.

This is a wonderful thing you're doing.

Hi, Mr. Stoddard. Hey, Mike. How you doing?

Fine.

Don't go.

I've got to go, Mike. I've got an appointment.

I'll see you tomorrow.

Bye -bye. Bye, Mr. Stoddard.

Bye. They found Mike living at the city dump.

I didn't realize he had an appointment.

So do you.

I made us reservations for lunch.

Oh, we could have eaten here.

Here? Sure.

You don't want something a little more uptown?

Watch it. My mother would resent that remark.

Your mother?

She taught me to eat hot dogs.

Oh, boy.

Any other family secrets I should know about?

I play a mean sax.

You are a very unique lady.

Yesterday, Lieutenant Andrews testified that the victim died of strangulation

and multiple stab wounds.

Based on your autopsy, Dr. Sterling, would you agree with that?

Yes, there were multiple stab wounds, but the actual cause of death was

strangulation. Marks on the victim's neck indicates the killer used a wire.

At the time he was strangled, as you have just stated, probably with a wire.

Was Gordon Light sitting up or lying down in his couch?

Was the killer attacking him from the front or surprising him from behind, and

was there a struggle? Based on the angle of the wire marks on his neck, It can

be assumed that the killer attacked from behind.

The bruises on the victim's body, in particular the bruises on the left

would indicate the killer was perched over him from behind and used his left

hand to pin him down while he strangled him with his right.

Let me make sure I understand this. The killer held him down with his left hand

and he strangled him with his right.

Yes, ma 'am.

Dr. Serlin.

Would it be safe to conclude then that the killer was right -handed?

It takes a lot of strength to strangle a person with one hand.

I'd say, most likely, the killer was right -handed.

At this time, Your Honor, I'd like to introduce Defense Exhibit A. It's a

videotape of WNJH Evening News, which was broadcast July 18, 1989.

Objection. Relevant.

The status of generosity is not the issue here.

If the court will permit, I only need about ten more seconds to prove

Overruled. My dear counselor is correct.

This videotape does show the generosity of my client.

But more importantly, it also shows that while Dr. Serlin has just stated...

That the killer was right -handed, the defendant, Gil Dottard, is left -handed.

Pledge to match all funds raised by the private... The DA will probably start

off with Cindy Foreman.

Do you still think her testimony will be a problem?

Well, it shouldn't be too hard to raise reasonable doubt in the jury's mind.

Oh.

It must be a lot easier if we just went over all this back at my house.

I just thought this would be a nice change of pace.

You know, Gil, we need to get something straight.

I did something wrong. No.

We can't be involved.

Not now.

This is business.

Life and death business.

You understand?

I wish I didn't, but I do.

I can live with that, Counselor.

Do you have another witness, Mr. Brightman?

People call it their last witness, Ms. Janet Moore.

Objection, Your Honor. This witness comes as a total surprise. Her name is

on the witness list, at least not the list applied to the defense.

Would both counsel please approach the bench?

What is your secretary doing here? I have no idea. Miss McIntyre, we're

Your Honor, the defense is totally unprepared for this witness. At this

time, we have no idea why she's even here.

Mr. Brightman. Your Honor, Miss Moore came to us this morning. There was no

possible way we could know she had any information pertinent to the people's

case until she told us.

Her testimony is crucial to our case.

I'll allow the witness.

But, Your Honor... Just... let the witness testify, Ms.

McIntyre, after which I'll adjourn court for the day, and you can have however

much time you need to prepare for cross -examination.

Ms. Moore, you're the defendant's secretary, is that correct?

Yes.

Would you say you have a good working relationship with him?

Mr. Stoddard is the best employer I've ever had.

Would you please tell the court where you were on the night of September 30th

7 .15?

I was leaving the offices of Stoddard and Light.

What exactly did you see at that time?

Well, I just pulled out of the parking lot when I saw Mr. Stoddard drive in.

I even honked. I guess he didn't hear me.

Are you sure of the time?

Positive. I made it home in time to watch the 8 o 'clock movie on TV.

Wasn't he supposed to be at a black -tie affair in his honor?

Yes, he was.

That's why I was so surprised to see him there.

Ms. Moore, why didn't you come forward with this information earlier?

Mr. Stoddard has been a very good friend to me.

I didn't want to hurt him.

I'm sorry. I couldn't go on knowing he'd done it.

She's lying.

Mrs. Moore, did you do anything else to protect Mr. Stoddard?

Yes.

I destroyed a document.

And what was that document?

It was a handwritten note from Mr. Light to his lawyer.

instructing him to dissolve the partnership with Stoddard and Ludd and

Mr. Stoddard with the smallest possible amount of money.

Thank you.

What is going on here?

You said you didn't go back to the office. I didn't. And yet this woman who

you're the best boss she ever had says she saw you there.

Listen to me. There is something very wrong here. Why would she testify that

saw you?

Did you lie to me?

I swear to you, Leanne, someone had to have put Janet up to this.

What about the letter?

She didn't have the letter. She said she destroyed it. Don't you see?

She's been paid off.

I told you, if you lied to me, I was out.

Don't do this to me, please.

I am not lying. She's lying.

I did not kill him.

I want to believe you. Leanne.

I got to clear my head.

Leanne, please.

Please.

Well, Dad, I think I might have been wrong.

What are you telling me?

And you might have been right.

I don't think Gil Stoddard can be trusted.

You know, I ask him point blank.

He went back to the offices earlier that night of the murder. The secretary just

testified she saw him there.

Could she be lying?

I told him if he lied to me.

Why are you asking me that?

Well, maybe she was lying.

You know, Dad, sometimes I really don't understand you. Why would you say

something like that? First you tell me you think he did it. Now you say maybe

didn't.

That's Gordon's brother, Richard.

Gordon Light was strangled with a wire. Look at that patch on his arm there.

Special Forces Unit.

Yeah, they were trained to do a lot of things.

Violent?

Unnecessary.

Maybe you ought to call Conrad to see what he can find out about Richard

I will.

But first, I think I'd better call Gil.

Miss Moore, you testified earlier that you didn't come forward immediately

because Mr. Stoddard was such a wonderful friend and employer to you. Is

correct? Yes, that's correct. How good a friend was he?

I'm not sure I know what you mean.

Well, was he the kind of friend that gave you a lift to the airport or

you food when you were sick or helped you plant your garden on the weekend?

No. We didn't spend much time together away from work.

Oh.

Well, now let me make sure I understand you.

The reason you protected someone you believe was a cold -blooded murderer

was what?

Because he let you take long lunch hours?

Objection. Argumentative.

Sustained. I saw him outside the building that night, Miss McIntyre.

that's interesting.

I'm a great believer in physics, and I don't believe that one person can be in

two places at the same time.

You also testified that you left the Stoddard and Light parking lot at 7 .15

the night of the murder. Is that correct?

I may have been wrong by a minute or two. Do you recognize Georgia license

number TH40I6?

Yes, that would be my license plate. Do you drive a tan BMW convertible?

Yes, I do.

I would like to show you a receipt from a parking garage.

At 3231 Rome Street.

It has the make of your car and the license plate right on the back.

And stamped on the front is the date and time.

Would you be so kind and read that to the court?

I'll be happy to help you. It says here, September 30th, you arrived in this

parking lot at 6 .53 p .m. and you left it at 7 .26.

You lied to us, Miss Moore.

You didn't see Gil Stoddard that night.

You were nowhere near the Stoddard and Light building. As a matter of fact, you

were 20 minutes on the other side of town.

And you didn't tear up any letter either, did you?

Who were you protecting, Miss Moore? Whose offices were you visiting at 3231

Rome Street?

Your Honor, please instruct the witness to answer my question.

I was visiting Richard Light.

Thank you.

Will you tell the court what your relationship is with Richard Light?

I don't see that it matters.

I think it does.

Answer my question.

We love her.

For the record, Richard Light is the brother of the late Gordon Light.

How long have you been seeing Richard Light?

Almost two and a half years. Do you love him?

Yes, I do. Enough to make sure he inherited eight million dollars?

I resent that, Miss McIntyre. Just as Richard Light resented Gil's daughter?

didn't. Isn't it true that you and Richard Light plotted the murder of his

brother Gordon?

No. Isn't it also true?

That you covered for Richard Light when he used his own key to enter his

brother's offices and to kill him in cold blood. I most certainly did not.

then you lied about Gil Stoddard to frame him for this murder. Because you

with Gil Stoddard in jail, convicted of killing his partner Gordon, Richard

Light would inherit his brother's share of an $8 million company, which

otherwise would have gone to a man Richard Light loathed.

That man.

Nothing further, Your Honor.

How about sitting down? You're making me dizzy.

I can't sit still.

You've waited for juries to come in before.

This one's different.

That's what I was afraid of.

Has the jury reached a verdict?

Yes, we have, Your Honor.

Bailiff.

Will the defendant please rise?

We, the jury, in the matter of the people versus Gil Stoddard on a charge

murder in the first degree, find the defendant not guilty.

Well,

lady, no victory kiss?

How do you feel about that? It's good.

Oh,

absolutely. It's wonderful.

You must be pleased with the jury verdict. That's what I expect.

Now you're going to celebrate.

I'm taking my lawyer out to dinner.

I promised you a celebration when the crowd was over.

Coming to a tropical island for dinner is quite a celebration.

You have style, daughter.

That's the company I keep.

I'm starving.

You've got dinner reservations for nine.

It's a black tie.

I don't have a black tie.

Yeah? You sure about that? Did you check the bathroom?

What have you done?

This is a first -class joint, you know. We have all kinds of amenities here.

The garment bag.

Well, what do you think?

Oh, I love it. It's fantastic.

Leanne? I'll be right there.

You okay?

I'm so embarrassed.

I don't feel very well. I've got an upset stomach.

Oh, poor baby.

Come here.

You know, it's probably a combination of everything, the trial and the plane

flight and drinking on an empty stomach.

What can I do for you?

Probably a pharmacy downstairs. Maybe they have something.

Say no more.

I know just what to do, sweetie.

You just lie right down here and relax, okay? I'll be right back.

Hello?

Hi, Daddy.

It's me.

Listen, I don't have much time, so I just want you to listen to me.

He's guilty, Pop.

What? Guilt?

Yeah, I've got evidence.

I found bloodstains on his jacket.

When the police sprayed the office, they must have sprayed his jacket, too.

Where are you?

I'm in the hotel.

I sent Gil down to the pharmacy. He should be back here any minute. Get out

there! Not without Gil. I got to get him to come home with me, Dad.

He can't be retried, Leanne. Like it or not, he's a free man.

I know.

I know, but maybe some legal action can be taken to keep him from getting Gordon

Light's share of the company.

I don't care about the Light's money. Get out of there.

I will, but I need you to leave a message for me. I want you to call the

desk. Tell them the...

Tell them the Lockman case has been moved up on the court calendar and that

got to get back right away.

We'll take the 1030 boat back to the main island and catch a chartered flight

home. I think I can get him to do that.

That way, if he thinks that I'm working on a case, I won't have to see him for a

couple of days, and that'll give Gordon Light's attorney time to protect the

estate.

Do you understand me, Dad?

Leanne, please.

Please, please, just come home.

I will, Daddy.

I love you. I gotta go.

There must be a restroom in the main cabin, okay? I'll be right back. See

Yes, ma 'am. I came on board with a man.

Have you seen him?

He's tall.

He's wearing a blue windbreaker.

Oh, yes, ma 'am. He made a phone call and got off.

He what?

He made a phone call and got off.

Honey, I'm sorry. Oh, Dad.

Hello. You made good time.

I'm glad you got home okay.

Listen, I made a call.

Your case wasn't moved up.

I'm real sorry it had to end like this. I know what you're thinking.

But you're wrong.

I would never have heard you.