Original subtitles

time again. Time for the man you either hate or love but can't ignore.

Time for the man to whom nothing is sacred except the truth.

Time for the most controversial program on the air, the Barney Austin Show.

Now, let's get right down to business.

Let's see, our first call tonight is to some nut who says I called him a

chiseler because he's holding up freeway construction.

This chiseler's name is... Lewis Ogden.

Clinton.

Seven.

Oh.

Seven.

Nine.

Nine.

And don't forget to turn down your radio, Mr. Ogden.

Hello? Hello.

Barney Austin.

I've got your card. What's your beep?

I just want you to know I'm suing you for libel and slander.

People like you shouldn't be allowed on the air.

I never lost one yet, Mr. Chisler.

See you in court.

Well, here's one I ought to shake up the boys in the control room. I have a note

here from the man who owns this station, Mr. Kevin Steele.

Okay, boss.

If this is a gag, turn your radio down anyway, huh?

Adams to...

Chief, Barney Austin.

I want to... How did you get in here?

Put that gun away.

Chief,

what is it?

What's happened?

Chief, answer me.

Get the police over to Steele's place.

It was close.

Are you all right? I think so.

Have a first aid kit in the car.

This is Holly. I just got back. Clara and Ronnie were here and they've both

gone. Did Clara leave a message with you at the switchboard?

Have you seen them?

All right. Thanks.

Ronnie, what is it?

What happened? What's wrong?

Oh, now calm down, Holly.

Well, where's Clara?

Clara's husband phoned. He must have had an attack, so she went to see him. I

just came over to watch Ronnie. Well, where have you been?

I couldn't sleep, so I thought a little ride might do him some good.

Looks like it did.

Yeah, put him to bed.

How did you get your arm?

It was a little accident. I was driving too fast.

Kevin wasn't home and I was... Holly, you know I believe everything you say.

Are you sure Kevin Steele didn't do this to you? I told you, he wasn't home.

Holly, your ex -husband was home. He was murdered tonight.

The last report said he was shot with a .38 caliber revolver.

All right, Mr. Richards, which one of them brought her car in for repairs?

Keep your hands to your sides, please.

Yeah, that's the girl.

The third one.

She asked for an insurance estimate.

New glass in one door and some chrome trim.

Sergeant Bryce.

Thank you, Mr. Richards. We'll be in touch with you. Now put him through.

Perry Mason.

Will you show Mr. Richards out, Sergeant? Yes, sir. Steve Drum.

Steve, what are you doing there?

They finally get smart and transfer you from homicide to traffic?

I thought I was supposed to identify a woman who was in an accident, I

I'm still with homicide, Perry.

And you were supposed to identify this woman. And if you do, she won't be an

accident victim.

She'll be a killer. Look, I made a simple accident report.

But now you're a key witness in a murder case.

Perry, come on. Where are you? What's up?

I'm sorry, but my probate case was called late.

I really don't see how I can get down there today.

Get them out, Bryce. Yes, sir.

Turn those lights on.

All right, girls. We can leave.

Okay, I understand, Perry. I'll tell you what. Let's wait till it gets dark so

the conditions will be similar, and I'll take the suspect up to the scene. Say,

uh, two hours, eight o 'clock. Shall I pick you up?

That's the girl, all right.

You get the brass ring, Perry.

Her name is Holly Andrews, and you just clinched the case for the DA's office.

On my identification alone, well, you identified her in the area of the murder

at the time of the murder, and you've come up with the motive.

Steele is worth over $10 million, and although they were divorced, their four

-year -old son is now the richest kid in L .A. County.

Did she receive much of a settlement at the time of the divorce?

According to what we were able to piece together, she divorced him before he

ever found out he was going to be a father. She didn't ask a dime from him.

Apparently Steele was difficult to live with and she wanted out.

Murder is a pretty permanent way of getting out.

I knew it, Perry.

I give you a set of circumstances and all of a sudden you start thinking like

the lawyer for the defense. Well, do me a favor, will you?

Start thinking like the state star witness for a change.

Why are they doing that? I told you where I had the accident. I know what

told me, Miss Andrews. Now, Perry, you saw her car come down from that road,

right?

Yes. That road goes up to Steele's place. Now, according to your report...

The accident took place at ten minutes after twelve.

Steele was murdered at six minutes after twelve. Look, you know I was at the

house, and you know where the accident occurred. That doesn't prove anything.

What did you do with the gun, Miss Andrews?

I didn't touch the gun.

You just saw it on the floor by the body, huh?

I didn't see the gun, and I didn't see the body, and that's the third time I've

told you so.

Miss Andrews, you're being held on suspicion of murder. Do you understand

No, I'm stupid. Well, I'm going to tell you once more, and in the presence of

witnesses. You have a right to be represented.

And I'm going to tell you once more in the presence of witnesses, I didn't do

anything and I'm not afraid to answer questions.

Okay, let's go up to the house.

Steve, I asked Paul to pick me up either here or at the house since he hasn't

arrived yet. Well, I don't want to leave you stranded, Perry. Come on up there

and wait. But Perry, do me a favor, will you?

Restrain yourself.

Keep quiet.

You know, Steve, if that girl did kill Steele...

She certainly carries off a bluff very well.

And if she didn't, she certainly has plenty of spunk.

Now, Miss Andrews, where did you stand when you looked in?

Here, by the French doors.

Steve, if you can get inside, you could turn the lamp on.

You're a guest here. I'm sorry.

This key was found in your purse.

I know that.

Was this the key you used to get inside?

I didn't go inside. The key was just still on my key ring. I hadn't taken it

since I moved out of this tomb.

Sergeant.

Go inside and turn on the lamp. Yes, sir.

Now, Miss Andrews, I want you to tell me exactly what you saw when you looked in

the window the night of the murder.

There were no lights on except the light on the end table.

The radio was on. I could see it. I could hear it.

The only furniture that... Now, you're talking about the furniture. What

furniture? The bookcase, the coffee table, just the furniture near the

fireplace.

Would you describe the fireplace, please?

It's marble. There's a painting over the fireplace.

The fire was on.

Miss Andrews, you saw all this, but you couldn't see steel.

That's right.

Story check, Steve.

With one exception.

There's no painting over the fireplace. What painting?

This room hasn't been touched since the murder.

You didn't see the painting either when you examined the room yesterday?

I was examining a dead body, a very dead body.

All right, let's go in.

Ready, Perry?

Just a few minutes, Paul.

Meantime, take a look around back.

Does your return bother you that much?

Everything in this place bothers me.

Every wall, every door.

That's all that's left of Kevin Steele.

A chalk mark.

Not one kind word for the deceased?

If you can find one person with a kind word for Kevin Steele, I'll find one

Why did you hate him, Miss Andrews?

I don't think you understand.

Let me show you something.

Kevin Steele may have died last night, but part of me died in this room nearly

five years ago.

Did this room have anything to do with what happened last night?

How do you explain a man's ego?

His conceit.

His belief that the world exists for only his benefit.

He had to have everything completely his way.

He had visitation rights, but he never exercised them.

He wanted Ronnie for himself alone.

A few times we went out socially, he was furious if I even spoke to another man.

You're not checking coats on the strip anymore, he'd say.

You're my wife, try acting decent.

All right, so he gave you a bad time, Miss Andrews.

How does this room figure in that?

We had a visitor one day, Dan Thorne.

You knew Dan Thorne at that time? Dan Thorne was a stranger. He wanted

for his military academy.

When Kevin indicated that he might invest in the school, Dan came back with

plans he'd drawn up.

Kevin wasn't home. Dan and I went over the plans in this room.

That's what we were doing when Kevin returned and saw us here.

He wouldn't let me explain.

I thought they'd kill each other.

Why didn't they?

Someone walked in.

Who?

It's unimportant.

His name's Jackson. He used to help Kevin with his art collection.

Why was the room left this way?

As a reminder that I was to never be alone again with another man.

I'd stayed married to Kevin Steele out of wound up as insane as he was.

All right, Sergeant, lock up.

Harry, we'll be seeing you.

Well, thanks for letting me tag along.

Boy, you're more than welcome. I didn't know that you were interested in sob

stories.

Mr. Mason, you're an attorney.

Do you think I'm guilty?

I think anyone who'd talk as freely and answer questions as willingly as you

have is either innocent or a fool.

And I don't think you're a fool.

How'd you like to take on a client who probably can't pay you?

In the first place, a client whose son is going to inherit $10 million could

probably pay off in gold bullion.

And in the second place, Mr. Mason is already engaged for this case as a

for the state.

He's right, Miss Andrews. If the district attorney calls me, I'll have to

testify to everything I've seen and heard up to this moment.

I'll chance it.

Get some sleep. I'll see you tomorrow.

Something told me I should have sent you home down on the road, Mr. Mason.

You wanted me to find somebody, but I never expected this.

You're a little frail for second -story work, aren't you?

Picked a strange time for a robbery.

Not robbery.

I was taking what's mine.

My name's Abel Jackson. I run a small gallery on Beverly Boulevard.

I bought many paintings for Kevin Steele, but he refused to pay me for

I paid out $75 ,000 of my own money, every cent I had for this Vandermeer.

But he refused to pay me back until the canvas was appraised by an expert from

Chicago.

Well, he was killed before the expert could come here.

I had neither the money nor the painting nor anything in writing to prove it was

mine. I had to have the picture back. Can't you see that? I can see you're not

very good businessman.

Well, you can't be a good businessman with a God. And that's what Kevin Steele

thought he was.

You ended on with it or he'd ruin you. All right, Mr. Jackson, you may leave.

But I advise you to make yourself available for questioning.

May I take my painting with me?

Don't press your luck. You better clear out.

Why did you give him a break?

He can't run far.

And besides, he's put up a $75 ,000 bond.

I didn't even know Kevin was dead until I got home and Dan told me.

But I've told the police all of this.

Did you tell them why you went to Steeles?

No. Would you tell me?

Gordon Sellers called me.

He owns one of the independent radio stations. He's had a running feud with

ex -husband ever since Kevin hired Barney Austin away from him.

Well, last night they had another big argument.

And after Kevin left...

Mr. Sellers called to warn me. About what?

Kevin was going to get a court order to have our son taken away from me.

Ever since he'd found out about Ronnie, he'd been trying to do exactly that.

I was so scared after I talked to Mr. Sellers.

Then since Clara was with Ronnie... Clara? Clara Michaels.

I had to work awfully late getting out tuition notices for next semester. Clara

was sitting for me.

I went to the house to plead with Kevin.

Knowing full well there was no way of convincing him.

Then when he didn't answer the doorbell, I thought I was too late. I thought he

was already on his way.

That's why I was driving down the hill too fast. That's why I was so anxious to

get away from you.

You didn't hear anything inside the house?

Voices? An argument?

Shots? No.

Only the radio. It was tuned into Barney Austin's show.

And the police say that Steele was killed with Dan Thorne's gun.

Do you have any idea how the gun got into the murder room?

Well, a few months ago when Kevin first threatened to foreclose on Dan, I...

I went to see him. We argued as usual.

He took the gun away from me.

Is there any reason to bring Dan into this?

Would he object to being brought into it if he knew it might help you?

I don't know.

Dan's been awfully good to me. He gave me a job when I was dead broke.

He even let me live on the grounds.

I don't know. I can't answer for him.

All right.

We'll let him answer for himself.

Would you do something for me?

Today's Ronnie's birthday.

His presents are at my house.

Clara's with him.

I'll see that he gets his presents.

Come on, break it up, break it up, break it up. Come on now, no fighting.

We're back in the game.

Come on, come on.

Daniel Thorne?

Yes, that's right.

I'm Paul Drake, a private investigator working with Holly Andrews' attorney.

I wonder if you could give us some information.

What sort?

Well, Kevin Steele was killed with your gun.

Holly told the police you didn't know how the gun got in the house.

Was that the truth?

No.

No, it wasn't.

How did it get there?

I gave Holly the gun.

Showed her how to use it.

In case she had to protect herself from Steele.

Did Steele loan you the money to start this school?

I approached him, but he refused.

Maybe Holly told you about the big ruckus we had.

You're sure he didn't hold the notes on this place?

I didn't say that.

I arranged financing.

The first couple of years, I managed to get extensions on my payments.

But a little while after she left them and had Steele's child...

I got the word Steele bought up my mortgage.

How did you feel about that?

Scared.

Thank you very much, Miss Street. I'll see that Ronnie gets these with his

How is he, Mrs. Michaels?

Oh, he's fine.

He's a real good boy.

So good, it's hard to believe he has Kevin Steele's blood.

You didn't like Mr. Steele?

I know you're not supposed to be disrespectful of the dead.

But between you and me, I hated him.

Not only for what he did to Holly.

Let me show you something.

That's what Kevin Steele did for me.

He made a wreck, an invalid out of my husband.

Stepped on poor Charlie like he was a bug.

But why Mrs. Michaels?

Because we crossed him.

You see, Holly used to live with us.

Before she married Steele.

She was pregnant when she left her husband, but she wanted to keep it a

So she came to us.

And Charlie and I helped her. We found her a room in a private hospital under

another name where she could have her baby without Kevin knowing.

But he found out not right away.

But when he did, Charlie was in real estate.

All of a sudden, his notes are called in.

His credit's no longer good, and the real estate commission get complaints,

they lift his license.

And ever since, Charlie's been in that wheelchair, just sitting and

staring.

If I sound glad that Steele is dead, it's because I am glad.

I only wish it could have been somebody besides Holly.

But if ever there was a case of justifiable homicide, why, after all

years, would she do it now?

Who knows?

Maybe because he was going to take Ronnie away from her.

Legally.

And that does it for tonight, you wonderful Barney Austin haters. Turn the

dial at KRMQ again tomorrow night. Same time, same old stand.

And maybe I can make you mad enough to do something about the world around you.

Good night and unpleasant dreams.

Glad to know you, Mason.

I'm honored that you're a fan.

As a lawyer, I'm intrigued.

You always seem to border on the edge of libel. And I come out smelling like a

daisy? I have some smart attorneys of my own.

Your secretary said you wanted to hear that tape. It's... Wow.

Feedback.

Somebody goofed.

Sorry about that, Barney. It was my mistake.

You're not paid to make mistakes.

I shouldn't have lost my temper, but guys like that get to me. I'm not really

such a tough guy.

From your show, I gather that you were.

You think I'm really a heel?

You probably work at building that kind of public image.

I'm the last of the vigilantes.

I was just a cog in the machine, Mr. Mason.

My office looked like a broom closet.

Obviously, you must have become the whole machine.

Yeah, I like a one -man show.

It's my show.

My existence.

My lifeblood.

You're very fortunate.

Give me that tape now.

Okay, boss.

If this is a gag, turn your radio down anywhere.

Adam...

1, 2, 7, 3, 9, 9.

Hello? Chief? Barney Austin? Oh.

Well, I wanted... How did you get in here?

Put that gun away before... Chief?

Chief, what is it?

That's it.

You get anything out of that?

I'm not sure yet. Well, if it'll help, take this copy with you.

The police have the original for my files.

Thank you.

Oh, Mr. Austin, one thing might help.

Do you know the circumstances of that call?

Why Mr.

Steele wanted you to call him?

Oh, I'm afraid I can't help you there.

Nobody could predict what the chief would do from one minute to the next.

Could it have had anything to do with Gordon Sellers?

Why do you ask that?

We heard that Sellers and Steele were involved in a bitter argument a few

prior to the murder.

Yeah, I see what you mean.

Now, if Sellers went up there to finish the argument, you might say, it just

could be.

Hello, Paul.

I'm sorry I'm late.

Does Della know we'll be here? She does, and she'll refer all calls.

What's the deal?

Well, I have a hunch we'll be having company.

Did you get to the county museum?

Right after I saw Thorne.

I'm going to have a report that Jackson gave us a snow job.

Paintings of forgery.

There hasn't been a genuine Vandermeer in this country in 120 years.

The museum people were surprised he'd even try.

Jackson's had a fine reputation for 40 years.

Well, score one for your hunch.

Mr. Mason?

Mr. Gordon Sellers.

You expected me?

Just as soon as you'd finished talking with Barney Austin.

Now, please sit down. This is Mr. Paldre.

All right.

Well... Barney called me. He's a friend.

I figured I'd want to help Holly.

I've got nothing to hide, so here I am.

What can I do for you?

Holly said you had a bitter argument with her ex -husband the same day he was

killed. Aren't you telling us what it was about?

I guess not.

It wasn't our first argument. If he were still alive, it wouldn't be the last.

Didn't Barney Austin work for you at one time?

I started him in radio.

Developed the Barney Austin show.

And steel took him away from me.

Was Austin that important?

He was.

He is. Top rated in late night radio.

And that was the subject of the argument?

No.

After Barney left, I found a replacement.

Started a new show.

The Larry Stevens Show.

Three months ago, Steele began trying to take Larry away from me just as he had

Barney. Well, yesterday I found out about it. And things came to a head.

But why would Steele want Larry Stevens?

Barney Austin's the biggest moneymaker in town.

Nobody ever asked Kevin Steele for reasons.

But I did ask Barney. I thought he might know.

Exactly why did you call Holly?

I told you, I like the girl.

Steele told me what he was planning to do to her.

He was a legal petition to prove that she was an unfit mother. For moral

reasons. Take the child away from her.

A scandal like that could have wrecked Thorne's school.

I don't think there was any hanky -panky.

But you've got to understand, Steele was an unscrupulous tyrant.

He'd been watching Holly and her boyfriend, this, uh, what's his name,

for six years. War he'd nail him. Who was supposed to sign the petition?

From what I gather, members of the household staff and, uh... Oh, yes,

Michaels. He did mention her.

Paul, we'd better have a look at that petition before we go into court

Is there anything else I can do?

Yes, Mr. Sellers. Come to think of it, there is.

Several hundred thousand people actually heard this murder committed.

And the records of the radio station, now admitted in evidence, show the exact

time the shots were fired, six minutes after midnight.

Now, what time was it when you saw the defendant, Holly Steele, on the Canyon

Road adjacent to the decedent's property?

Ten minutes past midnight.

Would you describe the circumstances, please?

The defendant had an accident. Her car ran off the road. I stopped to be of

help. Mr.

Mason, I'm going to read to you from the police department accident report.

You were quoted as saying, the young woman was extremely nervous. She had a

on her arm. She had been traveling at a high rate of speed.

She left the scene before I could render first aid, unquote.

Are those your words, Mr. Mason?

Yes. Now, you visited the scene of the murder with the police and the defendant

next day, didn't you?

I'm sure the district attorney realizes that as the defendant's attorney, I

cannot be required to... But, Mr. Mason, you were not attorney for the defendant

until after you had visited the scene of the crime. Now, please tell us, to

begin with, the distance from the house to the spot where the defendant ran off

the road.

I'd estimate it at a little over half a mile.

Very good. It's exactly seven -tenths of a mile.

Now, driving at a moderate rate of speed, how long did it take you to cover

distance? I don't recall.

Police experiments showed that driving with extreme caution, it took less than

two minutes.

Now, you, of course, have the defendant traveling at a high rate of speed, so

it's obvious, isn't it, that the four minutes that elapsed between the time of

the shots and the time the defendant ran off the road, is the district attorney

putting questions to me or merely getting speculation into the record? I'm

sorry, Mr. Mason, I'm so used to your insistent voice behind me.

Keeping me in line with your brilliant, incessant objections, I have just one

more question.

How did you gain access to the murder house that next night?

Lieutenant Drum arranged that.

Yes, but you were with Lieutenant Drum, able to observe him, weren't you? How

did he get in?

Why don't you ask him?

Isn't it true that the defendant assisted in this process? Didn't the

actually... The defendant said she had been there on the night of the murder.

I didn't ask you that, sir.

She denied having killed him. She said she heard the radio blaring.

She willingly answered all questions.

She explained very clearly why she'd gone there. Your Honor, this witness is

being responsive at all.

You have any further questions, Mr. Berger?

Yes, Your Honor. I want this witness to tell us how the police gained access to

the murder house on the occasion of his visit there with them.

As the witness suggests, you might question the police on that score.

But if you want to continue the examination... Thank you, Your Honor.

The witness is excused.

Yes, sir. The key taken from the defendant's purse was used to gain

night. Did the defendant say why she had the key in her purse? Yes, sir. She

said she hadn't taken the trouble to remove it from her key ring.

After nearly five years since the divorce?

That's what she said, Mr. Berger.

Lieutenant, your investigations established that the murder weapon was a

caliber service revolver registered to Daniel Thorne, the defendant's employer.

Now, when you arrested the defendant, did you have occasion to question her

about this weapon?

Yes, sir. She admitted that Mr. Thorne had given it to her.

And now, Lieutenant, let's discuss the fingerprints that you were able to... If

the purpose of the prosecution is to establish that the defendant was at the

house the night of the murder, defense will stipulate.

Thank you, Mr. Mason.

That's all, Lieutenant. Cross -examine.

I have no questions of Lieutenant Drummond.

So because of the recorded broadcast of the event itself, your examination

confirmed rather than established the time of death. Is that correct, Doctor?

That's correct.

Thank you, sir.

Cross -examine.

How did you establish the post -mortem interval?

We were fortunate in this case. We had two known facts.

The time the shots were fired, the time the body was discovered.

It was only a matter of maybe 15 minutes before the police arrived.

Obviously, no deterioration was evident.

Did you note if any analytic processes had taken place?

No, Mr. Mason.

The non -medical facts were conclusive.

Thank you. That's all.

Well, I heard Kevin Steele accuse Mr. Thorne and the defendant of carrying on

while he was away.

It's been a long time. I don't remember any details.

And did you have occasion to visit the Steele home again after overhearing this

fight? I handle Mr. Steele's art acquisitions, so I was in and out all

Well, did you notice any other evidence of friction between the defendant and

her husband, for example?

And did they agree about art purchases?

They couldn't agree on the time of day.

No, I only dealt with Mr. Steele.

Why was that, sir?

Well, about a month after the fight, I noticed that Mrs. Steele, the defendant,

had gone.

He hadn't given her a dime, but she'd go on anyway.

Thank you, sir.

Take the witness, Mr. Mason.

Did Mr. Steele always pay promptly and in full?

Well... Now, let's not waste the court's time, Mr. Jackson. We both know the

facts. He stole from me for years.

Held back on my commissions, that's the same thing.

But you arranged to get your commissions paid in full, did you not?

Well, I took the painting, but I've already admitted that to the police.

You tried to pass off that painting and Mr. Steele caught you at it.

Then you tried to take it back after his death to remove the evidence of fraud.

Were you also in and out of that house on the night of the murder?

Objection.

Your Honor, it's been established in previous testimony that the painting

missing from the murder room was taken by Mr. Jackson.

It seems pointless to intimidate a witness over an already acknowledged

All right, Mr. Berger.

I'm through with the witness.

For now.

Yes, I gave her the gun.

She was afraid of Steele.

And she had a right to be.

I saw her about a week after... About a week after I had the battle with Steele.

Her face was swollen.

He'd beaten her.

So you did see her again, even after Steele had warned her not to see you.

was purely accidental.

I was talking to Clara Michaels about acting as nurse for my school when I was

planning it.

And Holly, the defendant, came by to see her.

Let's get back to the gun, Mr. Thorne.

The defendant did ask you for the gun before she saw Steele the first time,

isn't that so? I mean, you didn't volunteer it or suggest it.

All right, she asked for it.

And after she had seen him, and I assume had no further use for the gun, she

gave it back to you, is that right?

Well, no. No, as a matter of fact, she didn't. That'll be all. Thank you very

much, sir. You're a witness, Mr. Mason.

Did the defendant tell you why she was going to see Mr. Steele that first time?

Yes. He bought up my mortgage, and he was threatening... The defendant?

Please let me finish.

He was threatening to foreclose.

So he threatened you, Mr. Thorne. And the defendant went to him to ask him to

give you time, is that correct?

Yes. Mr. Thorne, when the defendant went back to see the decedent on the night

he was murdered, do you know why she went there?

Yes. He was going to take Ronnie.

That's her child, away from her.

He tried for six years, and successfully.

Why was that night any different from any of his other attempts?

He wasn't above barging in and forcibly taking the child.

But in this case, he was getting together a custody petition, accusing

being an unfit mother and implicating me, all of which is ridiculous.

Knowing that it might reflect on your school, you nonetheless allowed her...

didn't ask my permission. Thank you, Mr. Thorne.

Oh, one thing more.

When the defendant took your gun and didn't return it,

Did she explain why she couldn't give it back to you? Yes.

She told me Steele had taken it away from her.

So as far as you know, anyone entering Steele's house on the night of the

could have used that gun.

Yes, I suppose so.

I'm through with it.

Well, I'm not quite.

One moment, Mr. Thorne.

You say the defendant told you Steele took the gun away from her.

Now, did Steele himself ever tell you that?

No. Did anyone else ever tell you that?

No. Why would they?

So all we really have is the word of the defendant herself.

No, I never saw anything wrong going on between Holly and Dan Thorne. Never.

Oh, come on now. A man like Kevin Steele was not planning to use your statement

in that petition.

Unless he had grounds to believe that you were willing and able to say that

had seen the defendant and her employer behaving immorally in the presence of

the child.

That's what the petition alleges. And that would certainly constitute grounds

for his gaining custody of the child.

The decedent knew that.

Well, I didn't know it.

I never even heard of the petition until the lieutenant there showed it to me.

Didn't you tell me in my office... I told you that Steele had asked me

about it some time ago.

That's all.

Very well.

Cross -examine.

Mrs. Michaels, let's be fair with Mr. Berger.

Isn't it a fact that you told Miss Street... I told your secretary about

petition after the murder.

And you just told Mr. Berger that you heard about it from Lieutenant Drumm.

Well, what I meant was I... I heard about the details of it from the

Thank you for making that clear.

Now, Mrs. Michaels, how did you know about the petition? I mean, generally,

before that time.

Well, I don't really remember.

Isn't it true that you went to the decedent's home on the night of the

and that he... No, that's not true.

Then where did you go when you called Mr. Thorne to sit with the defendant's

son? My husband was suddenly taken terribly ill.

I had to go home.

Did you call a doctor?

No, I... Mrs. Michaels.

Is it not a fact that you went to see Kevin Steele that night?

No. I started to go, but I didn't. I changed my mind.

Why were you going there, Mrs. Michaels?

Steele said he wanted my signature.

He'd already ruined Charlie.

He'd already taken everything he had.

And now he told me either I sign or he'd take what little we had left.

But I couldn't lie.

I couldn't let that...

Animal, take Ronnie.

Mr. Thorne testified that he relieved you at 11 o 'clock.

Now, where did you go if you did not go to Steele's residence and you did not go

home? Well, I went up Sunset, but I didn't turn to Coldwater.

Then I went on to Westwood.

I tried to call Steele to tell him that I wouldn't sign no matter what he did.

Tried to call him? I couldn't get any answer.

How long did you try?

Oh, until...

Maybe about quarter past twelve.

Did you get a busy signal?

There wasn't any answer.

You're certain about that?

Yes. More certain than you were about the petition?

Yes, I'm positive.

Mrs. Michael, several hundred thousand people won't corroborate your testimony.

They heard Kevin Steele answer his phone at the very time you say you couldn't

get an answer.

Your Honor, I'm going to excuse this witness.

Subject to recalling her to the stand.

Well, the defendant got all excited.

Said that she'd tried everything to get Steele to leave her and her boy alone,

and that... And that what, Mr. Sellers?

That there wasn't anything to do short of... short of killing him.

Thank you, sir.

Cross -examine.

Mr. Sellers, apparently you were quite busy making phone calls that day. You

called Barney Austin, you called the defendant.

I was just trying to help.

Now, you told us you had an argument with the decedent because he was taking

your star performer, Larry Stevens, away from you.

We are to understand, I assume, that Mr. Steele paused in an argument and said,

By the way, I'm going to take my son away from his mother.

Well, it wasn't exactly like that.

Then how was it?

He broke off our discussion and said that he had to leave because of this

about his son, his wife, and Thorne.

After this heated argument, he told you that?

Yes.

Listen, Mr. Mason, I've been over backwards trying to cooperate with you.

Just what are you getting at?

Mr. Sellers, there's no intent on my part to impugn your testimony.

I'm simply trying to put all the facts before the court.

Now tell us, had Mr.

Steele in fact managed to take your star performer away from you?

Yes. That was the second time, wasn't it?

The first time he took Barney Austin away from your station.

And from a look at the court records, you were in considerable financial

difficulty before you recovered from that loss of revenue.

But I did recover.

And Barney and I remained friends.

Yes, I recall that you talked to Mr. Austin, too.

Now, why?

I wanted to find out what he knew about Steele trying to take my man away from

me, that's all.

And what did Mr. Austin tell you?

Nothing. He didn't know anything about it.

Thank you, Mr. Sellers.

You may stand down.

Your Honor.

At this point, and with the court's indulgence, we would like to attempt a

faithful recreation of the Barney Austin show, The Night of the Murder.

How is that possible, Mr. Mason?

By using an exact transcript of the tape.

Mr. Sellers has agreed as a public service to use his radio station, and

Barney Austin has volunteered to assist us.

Your Honor, Mr. Mason is about to launch another of his courtroom spectaculars.

And while I admit that in the past these have been as entertaining and diverting

for me as for the spectators, I just fail to see... Mr. Mason, it's vital to

defense that we establish the precise sequence of events on the night of the

murder.

Very well, Mr. Mason.

You may proceed with your demonstration.

Subject to the right of the district attorney to object at any stage.

We're ready, Your Honor.

Mr. Austin, please.

Oh, a technicality.

Since Mr. Austin will, in effect, be giving testimony, perhaps he should be

sworn in at this time.

As your witness, Mr. Mason?

As my witness, Mr. Berger.

The clerk will administer the oath.

Raise your right hand.

Do you sound this word to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but

truth? I do. State your name. Barney Austin.

Be seated.

Your Honor, there we have a studio microphone on a direct line to Mr.

station.

Mr. Austin's words will be broadcast over the air on a specially assigned

frequency and will be received here on the radio the decedent used.

The telephones are private lines provided by the phone company.

Now, if Your Honor, please, Mr. Sellers has agreed to play the part of the

decedent Kevin Steele.

This is the tape transcript.

I remind you, Mr. Sellers, that you are still under oath.

Well, here's one that ought to shake up the boys in the control room.

This note's from the man who owns this station, Kevin Steele.

Okay, boss. If this is a gag, turn your radio down anyway, huh?

Adams.

Two.

Seven, three, nine, nine.

Hello? Jake?

Barney?

Mr. Mason, what's wrong?

Mr. Mason, what's wrong?

I'm sorry, Your Honor.

Your Honor, Mr. Mason promised us an exact reenactment. The last detail,

true. Three, nothing wrong, gentlemen. It's feedback.

If you've listened to my show, you know that's why I asked the guy on the other

end to turn the volume down on his radio.

Yes, but thousands and thousands of people will confirm the fact that there

no feedback on the air that night.

But Steele's radio was on.

I testified that the defendant said she heard it, and Lieutenant Drum's

testimony will confirm it. Then when Austin called Mr. Steele's number and

Steele answered it, why wasn't there feedback on the broadcast?

Mr. Austin, would you explain that, please?

Uh, I don't know.

Everybody who listened to the broadcast that night heard Mr. Steele answer the

telephone and then heard the murder committed. Not the murder, but what

purported to be the murder.

A tape recording of Steele's voice and the recorded sound of two gunshots.

Mr. Mason, I made that call.

I don't think you called Mr.

Steele's number, Mr. Austin.

You remember Mrs. Michaels testified that she tried to call Steele several

and couldn't get an answer.

I recall that testimony.

Someone saw to it that Mr. Austin would not call the correct number.

That someone edited together a tape of Steele's voice from other radio

conversations and put it on an answering device at another phone.

But that's impossible.

No one could have gotten away with it. No one is going to get away with it, Mr.

Sellers.

The reason Clara Michaels got no answer, the reason Holly Andrews didn't see

Steele, was because he was already dead.

killed prior to the broadcast by the person who planned so well to commit the

perfect murder. A murderer who could count on the corroboration of thousands

witnesses.

This is Barney Austin.

Leave your message when you hear the signal.

But he was my friend.

Kevin Steele was my friend. I had no reason to... What happened, Mr. Austin?

Did King Kevin decide to get rid of King Barney?

Did he decide to take away your microphone, your crown?

When Sellers called me, I knew what Steele was up to.

I knew why he wanted me to phone him. So he could fire me on the air.

And when I went to him, all I asked was for time. The time to work something

else out.

But the king didn't make bargains, did he?

But I had it planned.

I had it so perfectly planned.

Except for one thing.

You forgot to turn down the radio.

Nobody pulls the rug out from under Barney Austin.

Nobody. I don't get pushed around.

I'm the one who calls the shots. Me, Barney Austin.

Hurry it up, boys.

Lights out in ten minutes.

That's the truth.

Time for the most controversial program on the air.

The Larry Stevens Show.

And a big fat hello to all you Larry Stevens haters.

It's nice. Clay, will you turn that thing off?

What for?

This fellow's sensational.

He really kills them.

The king is dead.

Long live the king. Those to prove Dylan.

really changes. Life goes on very much the same.

So let's call our first member of the Larry Stevens should drop dead club.

And remember please to turn down your radio.