Original subtitles

What is it?

Thought I heard something.

No, you're just jumpy.

Yeah, maybe. Here, take this.

Go ahead.

Ever hold a gun before?

No.

357 Magnum.

Blow a hole in somebody big enough for a cat to walk through.

Or you can make me do whatever you want.

Oh, you.

Now, you've got to get dressed.

You're due in court.

Mr. O'Malley, is this one of the biggest drug cases you've ever tried? What drug

case? There's no case here at all. What about Rinaldi's testimony today?

Rinaldi, the DA's entire case is based on the testimony of a police informant.

The known felon will say anything to stay out of prison.

Frankly, I'm amazed you're even letting him testify, but I guess he's all the DA

has. Excuse me.

Mr.

Rinaldi, you testified yesterday you were present at Stevens Bar on the night

August 22, 1989.

And at that time, you overheard my client buy $11 million worth of cocaine

a Mr. Pedro Cruz. Is that correct?

Yes, it is.

And isn't it also true that four months ago you were arrested for possession of

cocaine?

Yes. Yes, and at that time you offered to testify against my client, Mr. Sam

Chandler, in exchange for immunity from prosecution.

That doesn't change the facts.

Ah, the facts.

The facts.

We'll get to the facts in a minute. Were you or were you not granted immunity?

Yes, I was. Yes, you were. Now the facts.

The night of August 22nd, 1989, you say you went to Stephen's bar with

Mr. Chandler, and when you overheard this conversation, where exactly were

sitting? At the bar.

You, Mr. Chandler, and Mr.

Cruz were sitting at the bar. They were at a table.

Oh, they were at a table and you were at the bar, so in other words, you weren't

sitting with them when you overheard this conversation.

That's right.

Now, Stephen's is sort of a small singles bar, isn't it?

Yeah, and it was a Friday night, so the place must have been jammed.

Yeah. What would you say, there were about 60, 70 people there? Yeah. About

same number as in the trailer?

Yeah, yeah. Something like that.

Your Honor, with the court's indulgence, I would like to try and reconstruct the

circumstances at Stevens Bar on the night in question.

Objection, Your Honor.

Relevance.

Overruled. Given the potential damage of this witness's testimony, I'm going to

allow Mr. O'Malley to continue.

Thank you, Your Honor.

All right, ladies and gentlemen, we need your help. We need you to pretend that

you're at a bar. It's Friday night.

You're out with some friends, having a couple of drinks, talking, laughing,

having a good time.

Okay?

It's okay, folks. You can do this. You heard the judge. He said it was okay,

right?

Uh -huh.

Now, no, I said a good time. A good time.

Folks, come on. I've heard rowdier groups at a funeral.

Louder. Louder, everybody.

Did you say this about the distance it was to Mr. Chan?

I don't know. I can't hear you.

You having a problem, Mr. Rinaldi? I can't hear you.

Folks! Quiet, please.

Mr. Rinaldi can't hear me. And if you can't hear me now in this courtroom, Mr.

Rinaldi... How in the hell can you sit there and testify under penalty of

perjury that you could overhear a conversation at a crowded singles bar on

Friday night between my client and Mr. Cruz when you were sitting at a bar

halfway across the room?

You know what I think, Mr. Rinaldi?

You didn't hear one word of that conversation, did you?

Not one word.

No further questions.

Has the jury reached a verdict?

We find the defendant, Samuel Chandler, not guilty.

Thank you, ladies and gentlemen of the jury. This court stands adjourned.

It's okay, deputy.

It's my wife.

Congratulations, Mr. Chandler. You were wonderful, my darling.

It's good to have you back.

Yes, sir.

Congratulations.

I hear O'Malley was terrific.

Quite a show, quite a show.

Pour me a drink. Sure.

I take it you all heard from Jack Rinaldi.

I'm not paying him another penny.

Relax, Bobby.

Did you get a tape?

An excerpt.

I think we got to do something.

You know, I expect Bobby to go off half -cocked.

But you, Al, too?

I thought you were smarter than me.

Yes.

David.

What are you doing here?

It's my life.

David, let's be calm about this. It's not serious.

Where's Sam?

I don't know.

Where is he? I don't know.

Where is he?

Sam, that tape gets in the wrong hands. It could mean life for all of us.

That's not what Rinaldi wants. He wants money.

A few bucks.

The moment he turns that tape over to the police, he's out of business.

A million dollars is more than a few bucks.

You kill Rinaldi, the police are going to come after me. Take a vacation.

The Greek Isles are beautiful this time of year.

I guess I didn't make myself clear.

If I hear that Jack Rinaldi slipped in the shower or hung himself because he

distraught or depressed,

I'll know who killed him.

You threatening me?

I just came this close to going to prison.

That's close enough.

David, what are you doing here?

Stay away from my wife or I'll kill you. I'll kill you, understand?

Hold it. I'll kill you. Come on, come on.

Hello, maintenance.

Yeah, boy the right What are

you doing here?

David, that was a dumb thing to do.

Punching out Sam Chandler's like taking on Mike Tyson.

It's really stupid.

Did anybody see you?

Well, we were in the back room at Todd's Grill.

Jim Steinbach, Al Brackman, and Bobby Boyd were there.

Do you know who those fellas are?

Ben, at one time or another, I've represented all of them.

Not for jaywalking, I'm sure.

Not one of them ever got convicted of a crime while I was representing them,

including Sam Chandler. Sam Chandler.

Crook. Big, dope dealer.

Not according to the jury.

One of his friends killed him.

With your gun. What was your gun doing there?

Well, I stole it out of my office.

Look, I already told the police. I can account for my actions at the time of

murder. I was being hit up for free legal advice by a bellman at the hotel.

There's no bellman there that fits your description.

Oh, really?

Well, that's a surprise.

Come on, I'm being framed, Ben.

Obviously.

Look, as soon as I get out here, I'll write you a check for the full amount of

your fee. I assume our fees are comparable.

What do you get for a case like this?

$125 ,000 plus expenses.

Hmm. Is there a problem with the figure?

Oh, no, no. I usually get a little bit more.

Good morning, Mr. O'Malley.

They're all here. I thought you were in a small temporary quarters.

I did.

Come on.

Morning. Good morning.

I've had my staff stay on here in Atlanta. We put our heads together and

the case in thought.

And we already have files on everyone who heard me threaten Sam Chandler.

I think we should put a tail on each of them now. David.

The medical examiner found that Sam's right index finger was broken just

he died.

What?

Did you sign me on to defend you?

No. You want me to send him home?

Oh.

We're both not going to represent you.

People?

That'll be it for today.

We'll arrange your transportation back to New York first thing in the morning.

Thank you. Thank you all for your work. Can I at least give you the files on

Bobby Boy, Jim Steinbeck, and Albrecht? Bye.

Is your wife still in town?

Yeah, she's at the Wilton Towers.

She won't talk to me.

I don't think she'll talk to you either.

Maybe not.

What do you want me to do?

Oh, go back to your hotel, look at television, read. Ben, I'm a good

investigator and a damn good attorney. You know that. Well, then maybe you

should represent yourself.

No.

Anything else?

Well, yeah.

Most good lawyers make lousy defendants. I'm sure I would, too.

We all have reputations. You're a jet setter, hot -tempered, two -fisted

drinker. I want you to watch your temper, stay in town, and lay off the

We need for the jury to like you. It's very important.

Of course, you know that.

Yeah.

You know, Sam's got a security system on the house. It's off.

Let's get to work.

Now, if someone found that tape before us, we're dead.

He went inside the bedroom.

Let's get out of here.

Looks like a cyclone, man.

Tell me about it.

Detective Cox?

Mm -hmm.

Conrad McMaster.

We work with Ben Matlock.

What do you make all this?

Routine burglary.

You don't think this has anything to do with Sam Chandler's death?

Sure. Whoever did it knew the house was going to be empty.

Thieves would have to be out of their mind to break into Sam Chandler's house.

A lot of thieves out of their minds.

Don't these things usually indicate if the alarm has gone off?

It wasn't on.

A man gets murdered one day, a house broken into the next. One thing has to

something to do with the other.

Yeah, they might.

Good,

Bobby.

What's that?

Get out of here.

Bobby, I'm sorry about your brother. I'm sorry I couldn't defend him.

You don't like people like Greg and me.

That's why you didn't represent them.

Now, what do you want?

You knew Sam Chandler.

Yeah, he was like a brother to me.

Well, how did you feel when he started, you know, with your sister?

Got a lot of nerve.

You come in here a place you've been told not to come.

Now, if I understand you correctly, you suggest I might have killed a man who

was like family to me? What's the matter with you, huh?

Don't you have any damn respect?

Rene. Thursday morning I was at your place, wasn't I?

Yeah. Eddie, Sam, show Mr. Matlock the door.

Come on, come on.

Come on.

Mr. Brockmont.

Hey, Mr. Matlock.

Hi. How are you? Hi.

Hey, boys.

This is Matthew, and this is Josh.

Oh. Hey.

Hi. Listen, would you mind taking a couple pictures of me and the kids? Oh,

together there. Get close there. Where you look through. Oh, yeah. You look

through. Okay.

One, two, there.

There.

That's it, right. This?

Yeah, okay. Gotcha.

And one, two.

One more to say.

Give it a great big.

There you go.

That's great. Yeah.

Listen, why don't you guys go look at the big engine down there, all right?

Yeah.

Nice boys.

Thank you.

They changed my life.

Yeah, very good.

I'm a husband, parent, respectable man.

Well, excuse me for saying it, but what

a respectable man.

I had meetings with Bobby Boyd and Jim Steinbaum.

We were friends.

We've been friends for years.

I have done everything I can to escape my past.

I'm a legitimate businessman.

Once in a while, I get together with old friends and we have a couple of laughs.

Is that a crime?

David O'Malley said that when he got to the restaurant, all of you were yelling

at Sam.

Sam liked to argue.

You can think whatever you want of me.

Those kids are what's important to me.

And if you think that I go into business with Bobby and Jim, you're crazy.

What about Sam?

Sam's dead.

Atlantic City.

A couple of years ago.

You went into a big hotel deal with Sam. Very lucrative.

They cut you out.

That was business. It was nothing.

Then you won't mind my asking where I was when Sam was killed. On the money.

My wife and I are trying to have another child.

Well...

Give it a try.

You following me or you watching the bar?

Both.

Angela Page. I work for David O'Mallon.

I know.

Conrad McMasters.

I know.

Get in.

You're David O'Malley's investigator.

You look surprised.

I am.

I don't expect to see a woman like you doing this kind of work.

I was a legal secretary. I didn't like it.

But you like following dope pushers and murderers.

Finding out their dirty little secrets and taking out joints like this.

Yes, I do.

And hopefully it's useful.

You like jelly beans?

Yes.

Mmm.

I thought Mr. O'Malley sent everybody back to New York.

Yes, he did.

You don't take orders very well.

I don't take orders at all.

Gotta go.

It's been... Three.

Hey, it's the birds.

No, I don't mind.

Hey, what did he want?

Who? The guy you were talking to.

Why don't you ask him yourself?

Next time I

see you, I won't be this nice.

Oh, Ms. O'Malley?

Yes? I'd like to talk with you about Sam.

No. Surely you could spare a moment. No, I said no.

I've spent 15 years married to a criminal lawyer.

I know who you are, and I know what you want.

You want to use my life as David's defense, don't you? You want to put me

trial. I'm sorry.

My life is my business, and I'm going to keep it that way.

Well, she did talk to me.

Come on in.

I'll be with you in a minute, okay?

You use all this stuff?

Religiously. Every day.

It's painful.

You get used to it.

And it pays off a lot better than some of the stocks I've been in.

Oh.

I'm a 186.

Yeah?

You look thinner than that.

That's my cholesterol.

Oh.

Okay.

Please, sit down.

Let's get right to it.

Sam Chandler.

Quite a guy.

David O'Malley does one phenomenal job getting him off and then Sam sleeps with

his wife in return.

Yeah. Yeah.

I remember your father's death.

So do I.

At the time, there was some speculation that Sam had a hand in it.

It wasn't speculation.

I never got involved in my father's business. I never wanted to.

Then one day I got a call.

My father was shot four times in the head while he was getting a haircut.

I knew what he did.

I wasn't surprised.

I was 23 at the time.

Now I could have retaliated, which means taking over my father's business and

starting a war.

Or I could choose peace.

I hated Sam for what he did.

But I chose peace because I didn't want to get involved.

I didn't want that kind of life.

Mr. Matlock, I didn't kill Sam Chandler.

If I'd have wanted to do that, I'd have done it a long time ago.

I still have to ask you where you were that morning.

Jogging.

I jog every morning.

Did anybody... People see me?

I don't know if anybody remembers seeing me that particular day.

Not before he's here.

What are you going to do?

I'm leaving.

Jack, he's crazy.

I'm not staying here without you.

Vicky, huh? Don't worry.

You're safe. He's looking for me.

Well, what should I tell him?

Tell him you haven't heard from me. You don't know where I am.

Hey, hey, hey.

Hey, they'll pay me off in a couple of days.

As soon as I get the money, we're gone.

Yeah, Vicki. How are you, huh?

Fine. Good.

Come here. Come here.

You look exhausted.

Had a bad night.

Taking out the house?

Yeah.

Popcorn?

You done a lot of this?

Yeah.

Vicki, we don't have to do it this way.

I don't know where he is.

You can do better than that.

You tell Jack he's got 24 hours to call.

If you don't, I'll be back.

Hi, ma 'am. My name is Conrad McMasters. May I talk to you for a moment?

What is it? I need to talk to you about the guidance.

Hi. Oh,

are you all right?

Let's get some ice on that.

He was looking for her boyfriend, Jack Rinaldo. Oh.

David. Hi, the cleaning crew over here. What are you doing looking through my

stuff?

preliminary hearings tomorrow, Ben. I want to see what you have. You got

anything at all? You know Jack Rinaldi? Yeah, I know him. He seems to be the key

to this case.

No, he's totally unimportant. And if that's all you have, we're going into

tomorrow with nothing.

David, I don't want you looking through my stuff. I've got other cases with

secrets that have nothing to do with you, and I don't want you looking at

I just wanted to see what you've got.

You work so differently than I do, Ben.

We're not going to trial in the morning.

We've got time. I know I work differently from you.

And I know that must make you nervous. I guess I'd be nervous, too, if I faced a

prospect of going to prison for the rest of my life.

I can step aside.

I can step aside. You can get somebody else. Or you can handle it yourself.

But like they say, a man who represents himself has a fool for a lawyer.

Here.

Take a rest of Conrad's popcorn. Go home and think it over.

But whatever you decide, you're not getting my feedback.

I want

you

to find Jack Rinaldi.

Then they can disappear.

Keep me posted.

She moaned the whole night long.

I'll do the cooking, honey.

I'll pay the rent.

I know I've done you wrong.

Every last rainy evening, I threw you out with nothing but a fine bone.

I know I'm to blame.

Ain't that a shame?

Bill Bailey, won't you please come home?

Tell Bailey, won't you please come home? Oh, yeah. Tell Bailey, won't you please

come home?

Oh, yeah.

All ready for blotching, I said.

You were my lawyer?

Well, hell, I get that a little fun.

Uh -huh.

You want some?

Cheers? Pretty good. Maybe later.

So what's so urgent?

Baby,

won't you come over? Baby, won't you come over?

Well, I got a call from the D .A. right after you left the office.

He's got another witness.

Who? Your wife.

My wife?

She's going to speak tomorrow.

Susan is going to testify?

Good, good, good.

Sally.

Now, bring us a couple cups of coffee.

The assistant DA said that she'll testify that you're so jealous of her

when you found her over at Sam Chandler's place, you went into a

This is a riot.

Isn't it true?

Yeah, it's half true.

I am jealous because I love her so much, in fact, that I always forgive her.

Which is pretty stupid, I suppose.

And you did go after Sam Chandler. Yeah, but Sam wasn't important. I just wanted

to make sure that Susan was going to come back.

That she's lying?

Yeah.

Can you corroborate?

The maid.

Shirley. Yeah, we could fly her down.

Detective Cox, can you identify this revolver for us?

This is my tag.

That's my mark.

I found this weapon at the scene of the crime.

It was later determined to be the gun that was used to kill Sam Chandler.

And to whom is this gun registered?

The defendant, David O'Malley.

Thank you, Detective.

Nothing further?

Mr. Matlock?

No questions, Your Honor.

You may step down.

Call your next witness.

The people call Susan O'Malley to the stand.

Mrs. O'Malley, how long have you and David O'Malley been married?

Fifteen years.

And during that time, did you ever have an affair with another man?

Yes. Did your husband know?

I think he suspected I was having an affair with Sam Chandler.

Mrs. O'Malley, would you call your husband a jealous man?

Oh, yes, very.

Was he possessive?

Completely. And did your husband ever learn about your affair with Sam

Yes. The night before Sam was killed, David found me at Sam's house.

How did he react?

He became violent.

What do you mean, violent?

He grabbed my face and squeezed it very hard. He's a very strong man. I didn't

know what he was going to do.

And then what happened?

He threatened me. He made me tell him where Sam was.

And where was that?

Todd's Grill.

And then what did your husband do?

He finally let go of me and he ran to his car and took off.

And could you describe his emotional state as he left you that evening?

He was in one of his jealous rages, but he was more angry than I've ever seen

him. He scared me.

Thank you, Mrs. O'Malley.

No further questions.

Mr. Matlock?

Uh, Mrs. O'Malley, did the D .A. tell you that you did not have to come here

testify today?

Yes.

So you, of your own free will, volunteered to come here and testify

David O'Malley?

Yes. You mad at him?

Do you want to see your husband go to prison?

I believe that David killed Sam Chandler.

Oh, so you're here for justice, not vengeance.

Oh, yes, that's right.

Mrs. O'Malley, isn't it true that you have had affairs?

Yes. And aren't they often the act of an angry person?

Yes, I suppose they can be. But you've chosen to testify against the man who

bought the very dress that you're wearing, who provided clothing.

Housing for you.

Your every need for the entire 15 years that you were married. Is this the way

you show your gratitude?

Miss Matlock, I'm not a vindictive woman.

You couldn't prove it by me.

Now, you've testified.

You've testified that Sir David O'Malley is a jealous, possessive man.

How did he demonstrate that to you?

Well, he would get furious if I were just going to go have lunch with a man.

would order me not to go.

Well, did you do what he said?

No. Oh.

And did he rave and yell and become very unpleasant?

Yes, he would. He would scream at me if I just danced with a younger man at a

club. Does the name Edward Campbell mean anything to you?

Yes, Edward is a close old friend of David's and mine.

He's a closer friend to you than David, isn't he?

In fact, isn't it true that you had an affair with Mr. Campbell seven years

No. Even though Mr.

Campbell lives in New York, he does have a telephone. Surely you must know that

someone from my office has spoken with him. Don't you?

You're under penalty of perjury.

We had an affair.

And this husband, this jealous, possessive man, found out about it,

Yes. But he didn't rave and yell or even go after Mr.

Campbell, did he?

No. He forgave you, didn't he?

Yes, yes, that time he did, but he was always fighting with me and screaming at

me because of other men. Come on, Mrs. O'Malley, if that were true, your

housekeeper, Shirley Lipton, would have heard at least some of the fights.

Oh, yes, she did. Shirley heard them. Shirley Lipton is prepared to testify

David O'Malley is not... A jealous, possessive man. Quite the contrary. He

you so much, he forgave your affairs and indulged your whims.

There were no fights. There were no jealous rages, as you called them. Isn't

that a true picture of David O'Malley?

You can just trot Shirley out here on her crutches and get all the sympathy

want, but the fact is she's lying. Move to strike the witness's last statement.

So ordered.

Your Honor, may I have a half hour set?

Is everything all right, Mr. Matlock?

I'm not sure.

Take an hour, and we'll call it lunch.

This court is adjourned until 1 .15.

Come in, Miss Lipton. Have a seat right here.

That's good. I have a... Good. I have a few things I need

to run through before we go into the courtroom.

Of course.

Now, how long has it been since you've seen Mrs. O'Malley?

It was six months ago when she fired me. Have you talked to her since then?

Not once.

Miss Lipton, Are you aware that perjury is considered a serious crime in this

state and is punished severely?

Why are you telling me this?

I want you to also know that at this very moment, my investigator is going

your bank records.

Oh.

Is that a problem?

How did Susan O'Malley know that you're using crutches?

You only broke your leg two days ago, and you say you haven't spoken with her

months?

Well, maybe David told her. David told me he hadn't spoken with her since the

night before the murder.

Somebody's lying.

David O'Malley is paying you, isn't he?

And he is a jealous, possessive man, and they did have loud, ugly fights, didn't

they? Yes.

Miss Lipton, give him his money back.

What the hell are you doing?

You had her. Why'd you let her go? You set me up.

What? It was a dumb move, David.

I don't know what you're talking about. You staged all this. Somehow you got

Susan on that stand.

You paid Shirley to lie.

You filled me with lies so I could take Susan apart.

You're crazy. A lying, cheating wife. Worst possible witness.

She'd make the DA look desperate.

Discredit his case. Make it look weak and without merit.

And you arranged all that.

You're actually standing there accusing me of this?

Shirley admitted it.

I know your wife cheated on you, and I know you're madder than hell, and I

blame you.

But how in the world did you get Susan on that stand?

You're not back together again. I'll tell you how I got her back on the

By explaining to her that it was in her best interest if she wanted a speedy,

lucrative divorce settlement.

And I'll tell you the truth.

I'd love to drop this damn case.

You've lied to me.

You've perverted the system of justice you're sworn to uphold.

Ben, you want to drop the case, there's obviously nothing I can do about it. But

do me a favor. Don't stand here and try and tell me that you've won all your

cases by playing it straight. Because I know better. I know you. You're like me.

You like to win. And you will bend the rules.

No.

Not all this.

What are you going to do?

Don't know.

Going to quit?

Don't know.

Ben Matlock's office.

Ben Matlock.

Uh -huh.

Yeah. Be there in a half hour.

Jack and Ollie.

You're spooky, I pronounce.

Hey!