Original subtitles

Hi,

Daddy. You're still up.

Problems in Tokyo.

Say goodnight, Kelly.

I'll wait just a minute.

It's okay, Jeff.

Just go.

I'll call you in the morning.

agreed you were through with that loser he's not a loser all right he's a money

grubbing snake stop it he loves me love love he loves the fact that your

last name is blake now i don't want you to see him again he just asked me to

marry him and i said yes

Okay, $25 nafta, $10 greenies and birdies.

Why don't I just give you my car? It'll be cheap. Hey, I don't want to rush you

guys, but I've got to be out of here by 5, okay? Taking granny to the theater

again? What some people will do to inherit a bundle.

Yeah, Stan here earned his money the hard way.

Married it. Yeah, it's tough living off royalties from books on the crisis in

American ethics.

Who knows?

Maybe somebody will make a musical out of it.

All right, who's up? I'm walking. If you are, Mr. Blake.

Stay away from my daughter. I love Kelly and she loves me. Don't give me that.

How much do you want?

You think you can buy me all?

You're not allergic to money.

How's ten grand sound?

Dirty. Whoa!

Calm down, Jeff.

Ellis, I think we'd better get another caddy. Uh -huh.

Take it over, Holden.

Want it?

I got him.

Go next door and tell him to turn it down.

Why is it always me? Why don't you go?

Fine.

We'll both go.

Is it holding?

Nothing won.

Umpteenth time I didn't kill anybody.

I was driving back from a golf tournament in Columbus, and I sure as

shoot anybody tonight.

And that's all I'm going to say until my lawyer gets here.

Well, speak of the devil.

What the hell took you so long?

The middle of the night, Alice.

Ben. I'd like you to meet Lauren Richmond. She's our new deputy DA.

handling this case.

Lauren, Ben Matlock.

Mr. Matlock, I can't tell you what an honor this is.

I've always thought that your defense in the People v. Baker was one of the most

brilliantly constructed and argued cases of its time.

The People v.

Baker was 25 years ago before you were born.

I've read every case you ever tried.

I did my junior thesis on you. Hey, hey, hey, what is this, happy hour?

Cut the crap, Olin. Get me out of here.

Can I speak with my heart by myself?

I'll be in my office.

What's up?

They think I killed this sleazy little dirtbag named Jeffrey Holden.

Tell me about this sleazy little dirtbag.

He was a caddy at the country club. A couple of months ago, he started dating

daughter, but he was just after her money.

Day before yesterday, I offered him some.

I told him I'd give him $10 ,000 if he'd break it off with my daughter.

Did he take it?

No.

No, no, he was holding out for more.

I can spot a gold digger a mile away. Believe me, I wasn't married twice for

nothing.

Well, anyway, the dirty little creep got himself murdered last night.

Whoever did it, use my gun.

Oh, you own a gun.

This is America. Of course I own a gun. I got a .22 in my glove compartment.

I guess they, uh, they run over it, didn't they? Yeah, yeah, they're pretty

it's the murder weapon.

I kept trying to tell them that somebody could have stolen it, but they keep

coming back to the money.

What money?

Jeff Holden had a bunch of money, a lot of money.

Money was found.

$10 ,000.

It's a setup, Ben. I swear to you, I have never been anywhere near Jeff

place.

Ben!

Well,

where were you last night?

I was driving back from Columbus. I've been playing golf there all day at

Briarcrest Country Club.

They have this tournament there every year, an invitational.

I don't suppose you stopped for gas or helped a pretty young girl whose car had

stalled or somebody we could call?

I came straight home. I left at six and I got in my house at eight o 'clock.

Nobody saw you?

Not that I know of. Why does it always have to be that way?

Ben, if I was going to kill this guy, this Jeffrey Holden, would I shoot him

with my own gun and then put it in my own glove compartment?

I'd have to be an idiot.

I'm one of the wealthiest men in the world. Do you think I got that rich by

being stupid?

You never know.

Hi. Hi.

I can't believe it. I'm going up against Ben Matlock. I know what you mean.

Butterflies besides a basketball.

Oh, Julie, you're just trying to make me feel better.

A distinguished lawyer like you doesn't get nervous.

But I'm a nobody.

You'll be just fine.

Besides, it's just a bail hearing.

The only tricky part about a bail hearing is staying awake.

You'll be great.

Thanks.

All right, let's get started.

Your motion, Ms. Richman.

If it please the court, the state asks that bail be set at $2 million.

$2 million?

Sir, only your attorney has the right to speak, and it's not yet his turn.

Please be quiet.

The defendant is a man of immense wealth with far -flung business interests and

access to virtually limitless capital. In the state's view, $2 million is very

reasonable and eminently fair.

You've got to be out of your mind.

That's enough.

Alice, don't. When she makes it sound like all I've got to do is walk up to a

cash machine, $2 million will fall out. Mr. Madlock, control your client. Your

Honor, may I have a moment to instruct my client as to proper courtroom

By all means.

Shut up and sit down.

Thank you, Your Honor.

I'll entertain your motion now, Mr. Matlock.

If it please the court, my client is a wealthy man, yes, but he's also very

much a pillar of the community.

His business is here, his family is here, his friends. There's virtually no

of flight whatsoever.

A bail should be set at...

$200 ,000 at the absolute most.

Your Honor, the state would like to point out that in this day of computers

fax machines and satellite communications, Mr. Blake could run his

anywhere. The risk of flight here is enormous.

Your Honor.

Course motion granted.

Bail is set at $2 million.

Well, you're as crazy as she is.

Excuse me?

I didn't kill that bum. Why would I run away? Give me one good reason.

Your client's not listening to you, Counselor.

Get me out of here. I got work to do.

Well, maybe he just needs a little time to compose himself.

24 hours in jail for contempt of court.

Okay, sir, let me have your watch and let's empty your pockets.

Okay, watch.

Money clip.

Wallet.

What are these things?

Ball markers.

What? Ball markers.

Okay, ball markers.

Keys and change.

Anything else, sir?

Okay,

31.

Where's Ben?

He's busy. Is that the new assistant D .A. Ben was talking about? It's Lauren

Richmond. I hear she's good. Mm -hmm.

So, find anything interesting?

Well, nothing that doesn't fit the prevailing theory.

Yeah? Yeah.

Ellis Blake walked in here and tried to pay Jeff Holden off.

Jeff Holden either refused or wanted more.

Blake then pulled a gun and killed him.

And left all this money behind?

Jeff Holden must have dropped it when he took the bullet. It was all over the

place. Mr. Blake just didn't have time to pick it up. This guy was a caddy. I

bet there are golf pros who don't live this well.

Cut it.

I found this on the ground just outside the back door.

It's a ball marker.

Golfers use them when their ball's in a line of someone else's putt.

Broadcrest Invitational dated yesterday.

That's the tournament Ellis Blake said he played in.

I'm telling you, it isn't mine.

But you had ball markers in your pocket the other day. Everybody else who was at

that tournament did, too. Hell, they were even selling them for souvenirs.

I wasn't there, Ben. Not that night or any night.

You act like you think I did it.

You're kidding.

Jeff Holden with a blackmailer? Well, I checked his bank.

And he'd been making large cash deposits for almost a year.

Maybe he was pushing.

Maybe.

Would you mind?

Oh, I'm sorry.

Then I checked with your bank, and you'd been making large cash withdrawals for

almost a year.

And why would you check with my bank?

Well, I figure if somebody was...

Framing Ellis that it had to be somebody who knew that Ellis had had offered $10

,000 to Jeff Holden Boy

I shot actually I I hit it fat

What did Jeff

Holden have on you if you don't tell me now I'll

ask you in open court.

He'd somehow found out that the restaurant I'm trying to sell in San

isn't exactly the financial bonanza my books would indicate.

Jeff said he could prove that, since I was in no position to call his bluff.

I paid him.

Well, do you have any idea where you were that night?

At my restaurant.

Cooking.

He had a tape of a conversation that he and I had.

Oh, you hit too far under it.

What was in the conversation?

It was about my grandmother.

Oh, oh, the one who controls all the money in the family.

I love my grandmother, Mr. Matlock.

Oh.

Well, now you near about hit it too high.

Look here. How about, look here. Now, look here. Now, look.

Look, try to hit it just under the square, right? Just under the square

and just knock a fire out of that sucker and it'll go flying out of there.

See there.

Well, these things are hard to get out of.

So you love your grandmother?

Yeah, it's just that she's old and she's had a long life and now her health is

failing, so maybe it's just as well.

So it's time to go to her reward.

I said that to Jeff Holden once, and he said he could arrange it. Well,

naturally, I said I wasn't interested. But then, later on, I found out he not

only taped the conversation, he edited it together to make it sound like I

him to knock her off. Oh, and then he'd play it to your grandmother. Oh.

You know, the happiest moment of my life was when I found out he was murdered.

How? Where were you that night?

Having dinner with my grandmother.

It takes a lot of work to...

inherit some money, doesn't it?

Yeah, well, what do you suggest now?

Oh, I don't know. I don't know anything about golf.

Jeff Holden blackmailing me?

That's ridiculous.

All the money you're taking out of the bank and giving to him, I guess, is just

a... Big tip, huh?

What I do with my money is my business, Mr. Matlock.

You mean your wife's money, don't you?

Excuse me.

Your wife would cut you off at your knees if she knew, wouldn't she?

Knew what?

About your affair with Tom Neville's wife.

Yeah, she'd cut off all your money. She'd ruin your career. I mean, who

read books on ethics by a garden -variety adulterer?

What makes you think I'm seeing Tom's wife?

Ellis told me.

Things like this don't stay secret too long.

Jeff Holden had pictures.

He said that he'd show them to Tom unless I gave him money.

But I didn't kill him. I couldn't have.

Why?

Because I was with Carolyn Neville that night.

This boy's blackmailing you and you're paying him to carry your club?

You people are nuts.

Now look out about that little box right there. Thanks.

Just right there.

Here's your witness list.

Lauren was supposed to send that to my office.

She just forgot.

Huh. Lauren reminds me of me when I started my first case against you. I was

overwhelmed and determined and enthused and scared.

Scared of what? Of you.

You were what scared me.

Things are a little different now.

Yeah. Lauren says she finds you very intimidating.

She sure didn't act it in the courtroom.

She went right for my throat and got what she wanted to.

Beginner's luck.

I just held my breath, dove in, and prayed.

I'm surprised you didn't hear my knees knocking. I was listening to my own.

You never.

I see Julie gave you the witness list. It turns out there's one more person to

add. He just came forward. Rob Barton?

Who's that?

He lives across the street from Jeffrey Holden's. He claims to have seen your

client at Holden's townhouse the night he was murdered.

Okay, I lied. I'm sorry.

What's wrong with you, Ellis? Why didn't you tell me you went to Jeff Holden's

house that night? And give her more ammunition?

Besides, I didn't think anybody saw me. Ellis, you can't lie to me like that.

I didn't kill him, damn it. I went there to talk to him.

I didn't even get up to the front door before I turned around to go home. I

never went inside.

All right.

Be seated.

Miss Richmond, you may call your next witness.

The state calls Lieutenant Bob Brooks to the stand.

Do you recognize this gun, Lieutenant?

Yes, I do. It has my tag.

That gun is registered to Alice Blake and was found in the glove compartment

his car.

The bullet that killed Jeff Holden came from this gun?

Yes, ma 'am, it did.

Could you identify this for us?

Yes, it's a ball marker from a golf tournament.

It was found on the ground outside the decedent's townhome about four feet from

the back door on the day after the murder.

Have you come across any others like it in the course of this murder

investigation? Yes, we found three just like it in Mr. Blake's possession at the

time of his arrest.

Thank you.

Mr. Matlock?

No questions, Your Honor.

Witness may step down.

Why don't you ask him anything?

Because the more he talks, the guiltier you get.

Your Honor, may we approach?

Your Honor.

I've just learned that someone with information relevant to this case has

forward and is ready to testify.

I'd like to put him on the stand.

Oh, Your Honor. Oh, I'm sorry to do this to Mr. Matlock, and he has every right

to object.

But the witness is out in the hall right now, and I don't know how long he'll be

available. But, Your Honor. If you would allow me to call him now, Your Honor, I

would have no problem whatsoever with your then calling a recess until

morning, thereby giving Mr. Matlock ample time to prepare his cross.

Counselor?

Well, I guess I can live with that.

The state calls Mr. Fred Bigelow to the stand.

That's the guy I was in jail with. What's going on?

My name is Fred Bigelow, and right now I'm living at the downtown hotel.

Mr. Bigelow, I understand you know the defendant, Mr. Blake.

That's right. He and I shared accommodations recently.

You were in a jail cell together. Is that what you mean?

Yeah. You met the defendant on the 24th of last month, the day after Jeff

Holden's murder. Is that right?

Yes, that's when we became cellmates.

Mr. Bigelow, have you been promised anything by anyone in the district

attorney's office in exchange for your testimony here today?

No, ma 'am.

I'm here because I decided it was my duty as a citizen of this fair city to

forward with what I know.

And that is?

Well, we got to talking in that jail cell, and being that he'd never been in

jail before, he asked me for some advice.

What kind of advice?

Well, stuff like, do you keep your mouth shut or do you tell your lawyer you did

it? Of course, me, I told him, hey, you don't admit nothing to nobody,

especially if you're guilty.

You lie. I never said that. I never said that. I told you the whole time I was

there. Why are you lying?

Who bribed you? Answer me! Who paid you off?

Answer me, you grimy little rat!

Dirty little rat!

I think somebody paid that Bigelow fellow to get up on the stand and lie.

If the bailiff hadn't been there, Ellis would have punched Fred Bigelow's lights

right out.

I'd kind of like to have seen that.

Are you positive Fred Bigelow wasn't telling the truth?

Guys like Ellis don't kill people.

They buy them. And I don't think Ellis bought anybody.

Did you talk to Miles Turner's grandmother?

She confirmed his alibi.

Says he came to her house around 7 and in her words spent the next three hours

with her at the theater fawning and groveling like a sniveling toad.

What about the other two?

I'm on my way to Tom Neville's restaurant right now. How about dropping

toothbrush off for Ellis on your way?

Sure. Where's he at?

In jail.

Contempt, you know.

What's that you're cooking there?

Sauteed duck liver with zucchini mushrooms and little brandy.

You can pour a quarter brandy on it. Liver is still liver to me.

What else you got?

Do you mind? I'm a little too busy to chat.

Ray, the food here is great.

It is.

You like working here?

I own this restaurant.

You do?

What do you make best?

Look, I'm not even going to cook here tonight.

And?

Darn, that's bad luck.

Well, when are you here?

Every night but Wednesday.

Look, you want to tell me where you work?

I can come down and talk to you when you're busy.

I'd like that.

Morgan's Mortuary on Peachtree.

I should have known.

Hi, my name is Tom and I'm an alcoholic

Still here.

Yeah. Do you have a minute?

Sure. What's the problem?

So far, so good.

I just wanted to tell you how much your advice and your support have meant to

me. Oh, that's sweet, but I haven't done anything special.

Oh, of course you have.

Isn't there something I can do for you?

Well, as a matter of fact, there is.

You just go into that courtroom and do the best you can and win this case.

That'll be funny.

Thanks.

I'm so proud of you.

Lieutenant Brooks, did

I call you yesterday afternoon?

Yes, you did. What was the nature of our conversation?

You wanted to know if the money found in Jeff Holden's townhouse had been

analyzed for fingerprints.

It hadn't, so I, uh... Sent it out for lab tests.

Do you have the results of these tests?

Yes, I do.

Would you tell the court what they are?

The lab found the defendant's fingerprints on three $50 bills.

What? That's impossible.

I never saw that money. Let alone touch it. Mr. Blake, sit down and be quiet.

What the hell is going on around here? Your Honor, could I have a moment with

client in private?

You do that, Mr.

Matlock, because one more outburst like that, you'll both be spending the night

in jail.

Court will recess for 15 minutes.

believe this.

I'm still being set up. When's it going to stop?

And when are you going to start doing something about it? There's nothing I

do, Alice.

What the hell kind of an answer is that?

You don't believe me anymore. It doesn't matter what I believe. The jury doesn't

believe you. The evidence is stacked against you. I'm talking stacked.

You want me to plead guilty?

No.

I want to see if I can cut a deal for you.

If this thing goes before the jury, we're going to lose.

No. You got to face facts.

The fact is I didn't do it. I'm innocent.

Now put me on the stand.

No, that's a bad idea.

I'm going on the stand whether you like it or not. I don't like it. No, you'll

hang yourself.

I don't give a damn. I'm going on the stand.

You're my lawyer.

Put... me on the stand.

Mr. Blake, did you go see Jeff Holden on the 23rd of last month?

Yes, I did. I drove to his townhouse. I'm going to talk to him about his

relationship with my daughter.

Did you speak with him? No, I never went inside. I turned around before I even

got to his front door.

Did you kill Jeff Holden?

No, I did not.

This is your gun, isn't it? Yes, I kept it in the glove compartment of my car.

Do you always remember to lock your car?

No, in fact, I rarely remember.

So someone could have stolen this gun from your glove compartment, used it to

kill Jeff Holden, and then put it back in your car.

Easily.

Thank you, Mr. Fleck.

Miss Richmond?

Thank you, Your Honor.

I'm sorry, Mr. Blake, if I sound confused, but didn't you originally tell

police that on the night of the murder you were in your car driving home from a

golf tournament?

No. So you lied before?

Well, I... Yes or no? Did you or did you not lie to the police regarding your

whereabouts that night?

Yes, I... But I never went inside. Oh, yes, you went inside.

You went inside to deliver the ten thousand dollars you'd promised him if

left your daughter alone, didn't you? No, I didn't. Then how did your

fingerprints get on that money, Mr. Blake?

I don't know.

Didn't you give the money to Jeff Holden, argue with him, then shoot him?

No! Then how did a bullet from your gun wind up in his heart, Mr. Blake? I don't

know. Somebody stole it. And after you shot him, you ran out the back door and

maybe you reached into your pocket for your car keys. And in the process, one

the ball markers that were in your pocket fell to the ground. I didn't

him. Though God knows I felt like it. And I didn't run out the back door

I never got to the front door and I didn't leave a ball marker on the

I had three of them and I still got three.

Maybe you replaced it, huh, Mr. Blake? No!

That was your marker outside the back door, wasn't it, Mr. Blake? I was set

damn it. The money, the gun, the marker.

Somebody used it to set me up.

I didn't do it.

You were spotted at the scene of the crime.

Your gun did the killing. Your money, your fingerprints were on it. Your ball

marker at the foot of the steps.

Ladies and gentlemen, I'm afraid this man is fighting a losing battle.

Thank you, Your Honor.

We find the defendant, Ellis Blake, guilty.

Thank you, ladies and gentlemen of the jury. You are dismissed.

And the defendant is remanded to custody.

Sentencing will be in this court on the 17th of next month.

Court is now in recess.

We've got to appeal.

Okay.

I'm innocent. I didn't kill him.

You've got to do something.

Well, don't just stand there. Do something.

I'm sorry, Ellis. I truly am.

Higher. Higher over there. Perfect.

Perfect.

Hi.

It's all clear.

Hi. I'm looking for Lauren Richmond.

She's not here right now. Can I help you with something?

No, that's personal.

She's due back in a half hour. You're welcome to wait.

We're throwing a little party for her.

Could you just tell her that Peter Vanderhoff is in town?

Sure.

How do you spell that?

V -A -N -D -E -R -H -O -F -F.

And you know her?

Yeah. We had a drink down in Columbus last week.

Just tell her I'll try to catch her later.

Thanks.

Ben?

Hi.

Listen, if you're not busy, I wondered if you could take a drive with me to

Columbus?

The Briarcrest Country Club.

Your Honor, the defense moves that the guilty verdict against Ellis Blake be

aside on the basis of prosecutorial misconduct.

This is an outrage.

There was no misconduct on the part of the prosecution.

Mr. Matlock seems to feel he can prove there was.

He's wasting the court's time to say nothing of impugning my integrity.

If I may be blunt, Your Honor, this merely demonstrates that Mr. Matlock is

nothing more than a sore loser.

This is unusual, I'll grant you that.

But I'm willing to allow him some leeway in this matter.

But, Your Honor... At his request, I've compelled all the original witnesses to

appear.

Now, Mr. Matlock, you have one hour of the court's time. But mind you, if I

detect so much as a whiff of sour grapes, it may be the last hour you

court for a long time.

Yes.

Thank you.

Defense calls Mr. Dennis Fry to the stand.

You swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so

your God.

I do. State your name, please.

Dennis Fry.

Be seated.

Mr.

Fry, would you please tell the court what you do for a living?

I manage a pro shop at the Briarcrest Country Club.

That's where they held their invitational golf tournament last month.

Yes, it is. Tell me, Mr. Fry, have you ever seen

this young lady down there before?

Yes, I have.

Never forget a customer.

She came into your shop?

Mm -hmm, during the tournament.

Didn't buy much, though.

Remember what she bought?

A souvenir ball marker.

One ball marker.

That's it?

Well, it struck me as kind of strange, too. That's why it stuck in my mind.

Did the date she bought it stick in your mind?

Mm -hmm. Last day of the tournament. The 24th. 24th.

Your Honor, I submit that Ms. Richmond knew that my client

had three souvenir...

golf ball markers in his pocket when he was arrested for contempt of court. And

the marker she bought and planted outside Jeff Holden's apartment was put

to further implicate my client in his murder.

That is an extremely serious allegation.

Miss Richmond?

I absolutely deny this, Your Honor. And I caution Mr.

Matlock that these false... statements are unethical and may subject him to

disciplinary action by the State Bar.

Mr. Matlock?

I'd like to continue, if I may, Your Honor.

Proceed.

Defense would like to excuse Mr. Fry, thank you. You may step down.

And call Mr.

Stanton Amory to the stand.

You swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so

you God. I do. State your name, please.

Stanton Amory. Be seated.

Jeff Holden was blackmailing you, wasn't he?

Yes, he was. Why?

Because he found out that I was seeing the wife of a friend of mine.

So you were paying him to keep his mouth shut?

Yes. I bet he was bleeding you dry.

Very dry.

And that's why you killed him?

I did no such thing.

I was with my friend's wife at that time. No, you weren't.

She was with her husband at an...

anonymous meeting that evening, the same as every Wednesday evening.

Your Honor, I object.

Mr. Matlock is misleading this court.

He says he's trying to prove prosecutorial misconduct, but all he's

is retrying his case.

I must admit, I'm not entirely comfortable with this line of

Matlock. I'm sorry, Your Honor, I'll move on. Would you tell the court,

who Karen Brown is?

I don't believe I know any Karen Brown. Oh, sure you do. She's a vice president.

at the Greater Atlanta Bank where you do your banking. She's the one who helps

you out, you know, so you won't have to stand in line like everyone else. Yes,

yes, that Karen Brown. Yeah, yeah. When I asked the police to do a full

fingerprint analysis of all the money that was found at the scene of the

whose fingerprints do you think they found on almost all the bills?

I have no idea.

Karen Brown's.

Karen Brown's.

Because that's where the money came from. Not from my client's bank, but

yours. Her fingerprints were found on every single bill but three.

Three fifties on which my client's fingerprints so conveniently

were found.

Why this discrepancy?

While he was in jail,

For contempt of court, somebody went through the envelope containing my

possessions and removed three 50s from his money clip, replaced them with three

50s of her own, then went into the evidence room, removed three 50s from

money found at the scene of the crime, replaced them with three 50s belonging

my client so that his fingerprints could be found on them.

Now, who did this?

Deputy D .A. Lauren Richmond, of course.

Can you substantiate this?

Look here, Your Honor.

He signed into booking on the 24th. He signed into the evidence room on the

25th. And I'm sure if we had a heart -to -heart talk with Mr. Fred Bigelow, we

would discover that Miss Richmond is responsible for his testimony, too.

The first thing you did after you overheard my client trying to buy off

Jeff Holden was go to your bank and have your friend Karen count you out $10

,000 in 50s.

Then you stole Ellis' gun from the glove compartment where you knew he always

kept it.

You figured he would be driving back from the golf tournament in Columbus and

wouldn't have an alibi, so you went.

to Jeff Holden's house and shot him with Ellis' gun.

Then later that night, you replaced Ellis' gun to the glove compartment.

Ellis helped you himself by lying about where he was at the time of the murder.

But Mr. Richmond is wrong.

My client is not guilty.

You are.

Your Honor, I ask the court's permission to speak.

Yes, you have it.

In view of the behavior of my associate, Miss Richmond, I am replacing her as of

now, if it pleases the court.

It does.

Miss Richmond, as you well know, obstruction of justice is a criminal

You have jeopardized your entire career.

Have you anything to say?

Your Honor, I was just so tired of seeing guilty men go free.

And there was so much real evidence against Ellis Blake, I was certain he

guilty.

I know I did wrong, but I thought it was for the right reason.

Miss Richmond, I am ordering all the evidence against you forwarded to the

proper authorities for further investigation.

Your Honor, the state would like to join with the defense in asking for a

judgment notwithstanding the verdict.

And dismissal of all charges against Ellis Blake.

So ordered.

Bayliss, take the witness into custody.

Mr. Blake, you are hereby dismissed with this court's profound apologies.

And we are dismissed.

That's it. It's over.

It's over.

You're innocent and it's over.

Thank you, Ben.

I'm sorry.

Me too.

I was just under so much pressure going up against the famous Ben Matlock my

first time out the gate. I guess I just kind of lost it.

You know, flipped out temporarily.

I mean, you could tell them that, couldn't you? That I didn't really know

was doing and that I deserve another chance?

I don't think so.

I trusted her.

I trusted her, too.

Well, I feel like a fool.

I trusted her because of what she said she was.

But she sure proved otherwise, didn't she?

You mean innocent until proven guilty.

Where have I heard that before?

Dagon, if I know. But if you'll buy me a big supper, maybe we can talk it over.

Let's go.