Original subtitles

Thank you.

What kind of car you got? Oh, come on.

I'm pretty happy with it. The plan is to open one every six months all across

the country.

Dale, how you doing?

That's supposed to be a picture of you, Mike?

Well, he had bigger shoulders then.

And my own knee.

Well, it sounds like a gold mine.

We could use one.

Who couldn't?

I gotta play host, Ken. I'll see you later.

Why? I heard Mike's partner is Johnny Sereno.

Don't worry. It's strictly a legitimate deal.

You say so, Joanna.

Is he here?

Johnny?

Right over there.

Working the room.

But then I can't hammer a nail in straight either, and I own a couple of

construction outfits.

Look, excuse me. I'll be back in a minute.

Great party, huh?

Yeah, thanks, Connie. Wonderful.

He passes out on you.

Give me the high -five.

Frank!

What's the matter, pal? I haven't heard you congratulate me.

I'm supposed to congratulate you?

You make a ten -minute pitch to the quarters, and it takes me six weeks to

up the papers.

I'm on a piece of cake.

You never asked for a single change.

Now all we need is a country full of health nuts.

And we had that for starters. Anyway, congratulations, Johnny. It's another

winner. Yeah. I'll talk to you later.

Give me another and lose the ice. Don't make me cancel your life.

Don't you think you've had enough?

Jiminy Cricket.

I mean it.

Since we got here, you've been glued to that stool.

How would you know?

It's three o 'clock in the afternoon. I think you're making a fool out of

yourself.

I'm making a fool out of you.

Just drink yourself to death if that's what you want to do.

You'd like that, wouldn't you? Yeah, maybe I would.

I'm not going to make it that easy for you, Johnny.

I'm going to put you through seven kinds of hell first.

and try.

And it'll be the last thing you ever do.

Excuse me.

Wanted to see me?

Hello. I got something to say, say it.

You screwed me over, Johnny.

I don't like it.

What are you talking about?

It's called a connection deal.

Give me a piece of that.

Oh, hey, I owe you nothing.

Who the hell do you think you are trying to cut yourself in on my operations?

Don't treat me like some punk, Johnny.

I could make a lot of trouble for you.

Just telling you how it is. I asked, was that a threat?

Johnny. Was it?

Because you know how I react to threats.

Just like the old days.

Like this.

We'll pay for that, Johnny.

I mean it.

To tell you the truth, I'm still nervous about this whole thing.

We've been over it and over it. I know, but... Look, Joe.

We were washed up in more ways than one.

On the verge of bankruptcy. Now we're on our way back.

Just remember that. We're on our way back.

You're a lot more dangerous than Nancy said you were.

Oh, yeah?

Nancy who?

Nancy Gillis.

Oh.

Oh, Nancy.

She hasn't forgotten you either.

Have we met before?

No, no.

I would have remembered.

You bet you would have.

Listen.

Have you seen the house?

I mean, all of them?

Like the upstairs?

We've got some very interesting stuff up there.

More interesting than what I'm looking at now.

Maybe not.

Lead the way.

Ray, you can't keep doing this to yourself.

No, no, Ray, don't.

Frank, let me go.

Maria, just think about it. I said let me go.

Maria. Maria.

Maria.

I will see you in court.

You bastard!

Maria!

You don't understand what that was all about. I have understood what sex was

since I was ten years old.

Maria, you're in no condition to drive.

I just sobered up.

In the car.

No, Jack, I appreciate your thinking of me.

And three months in Florida is very tempting.

Yes, Dylan.

Mr. Halloran's here.

Oh, bring him in.

No, no, Jack, I'm sorry.

But it would be impossible for me right now.

Let me know how the case and the fishing comes out. Right.

Goodbye, Jack.

Well, Frank.

I hope I didn't keep you waiting too long.

Just long enough so Della and I could catch up on things.

Great to see you again, Perry. Good to see you, too.

The Blar Association seminar three years ago, right?

It's awful, isn't it? We live in the same city and we have to go to San

Francisco to see each other.

I'll be working on the Parker brief.

Della, why don't you stay?

I may just need some support here.

Sit down, both of you.

What's this all about, Frank?

Remember when I called, I told you that I wanted to present something to you

face to face?

I remember.

Uh, Perry.

Oh, excuse me. No, no, come in. Uh, Frank, this is... Yeah, we met. We met

the party, you remember?

Oh, yeah, we have.

Ken Malansky. Frank, this business or personal?

It's business.

Sit down, Ken.

Perry, do you know the name Johnny Sorrento?

Who doesn't? Especially since his wife's murder three days ago.

This morning they arrested Johnny for the murder.

What's that got to do with you?

I'm Johnny's corporate attorney.

But Sorrento is a gangster.

He must have a rap sheet that could paper this office.

Now look.

I'll be the first to admit that Johnny Sorrento came out of the rackets. He'll

tell you that himself.

But he's been straight for the last ten years, maybe longer.

Believe me, Perry, when he came to me, I was just as skeptical as you. And I had

him thoroughly, and I mean thoroughly, investigated.

He was clean as a whistle.

How does he make a living?

He's a promoter, he's an entrepreneur, into a dozen different enterprises.

Shopping centers, construction companies, new chain of fitness centers,

movie company.

But everything is strictly legitimate.

I know. I negotiated most of the deals myself.

And you want me to represent him on this murder charge?

Well, Perry, I'm no criminal attorney.

He's out on bail, and he wants you.

Oh, Frank, I don't think so.

Is there any way that I can convince you just to meet him as a personal favor?

I will think about that.

But that's all I can promise.

Can't ask for more.

I'll call you tomorrow.

Thanks, Perry.

Thanks,

I can find my way out.

Bye, Frank.

Well,

what do you think?

Remember the speech you made at that same Bar Association seminar?

What about it?

You said in this country, every person is entitled under the law to a legal

defense.

Even the lowliest and the most despised.

You went on to say the more serious the crime, the more important the defense.

And you said something about it being the attorney's job to defend any

And how it was only the jury or the judge who should determine guilt.

In other words...

You think I should take the case?

I don't think you're going to reject it out of hand.

What do you think?

I think you should reject it out of hand.

Johnny Sorrento changed his stripes?

Somebody's really putting you on.

You know, down at the shop, we can't believe you're even talking to him.

Your men found the murder weapon?

Yeah, under some brush on the side of the hill about 60 yards above where the

car went over.

And... We also found the butt of a cigarillo there, and the laboratory has

already identified it as exactly the kind Johnny Sorrento smokes.

You see, he has them made up special, smuggles them in from Cuba.

He's quite a piece of work. And the rifle was registered to Sorrento. That's

right. Any prints?

Only his.

But Johnny left the party after his wife. I saw him.

Yeah, immediately afterwards, which means he obviously had some preplanned

vantage point behind and above her.

By the way...

You know, we do have a witness who saw and heard Sorrento threaten his wife's

life not 20 minutes before she was killed.

You have a motive?

The best, filing for divorce.

And it would have cost him millions in a settlement.

Hood like Sorrento wouldn't like that.

I was just told that he's been clean and out of the rackets for 10 years.

Mr. Mason, you could take a man out of the mob, but you cannot take the mob out

of the man.

At downtown, we got ten to one odds you're gonna walk away from this one.

And if he's innocent?

Johnny Sorrento never drew an innocent breath in his life.

Even if he didn't kill his wife, and I say he did, he's still got a lifetime of

other doozios.

Sergeant Baranski, you'd better let your mind go back over what you just said.

Mr. Malanski?

But you were in the rackets.

Loan sharking, running, making collections, the whole works.

Yeah.

Yeah, sure.

But you gotta understand something.

I grew up on the streets of Jersey City.

It was like going to school. Everybody was into it.

My old man, his old man, too. They were both into it since they were kids.

I mean, it was all I knew.

What about enforcement?

Now, that wasn't my department. I mean, I guess I had to make some threats once

in a while, but I didn't go around breaking knees or anything, if that's

you mean.

The family business.

How can you prove you're not part of it still?

Guess you just have to take my word for it.

Maybe Frank's.

Perry knows what I think, Johnny.

I've told him you're absolutely clean.

Yeah, the family business.

I'm gonna have to tell you the truth. My old man didn't want me anywhere near

it. He actually put away money for me to go to college.

But I was a smart -ass kid. I thought I knew everything already.

Anyhow, I put in 16 years.

Then I got out.

I had to.

Why?

Oh, a lot of reasons.

I guess I saw too many of my old buddies wind up dead or in the slammer.

When I got married, I had a kid.

I guess I turned into my old man. I mean, I didn't want my son mixed up in

that either.

So I got out.

Believe me, Mr. Mason, I'd never go back.

Perry, he's telling the truth.

It's okay, Frank.

I'm not sure I'd believe me either.

Mr. Mason, it does happen to be true.

You were found by the Calders at the edge of the cliff. Then the police found

all of you there.

Then your rifle was found.

And I hadn't touched the thing in months.

I do a little hunting sometimes.

Why did you keep the gun?

In the back of some closet. I can't even remember.

Somebody could have taken it without your knowledge?

Anybody could have taken it. People are in and out of here all day long.

They found only your prints on the gun.

And whoever stole it must have worn gloves.

And a cigarillo they found?

I leave them all over the place just like this.

You think somebody's trying to frame you?

Of course.

And that's what's driving me nuts.

Look, as long as the cops are looking at me, they're not looking anyplace else.

And I want whoever did it nailed.

And nailed good.

Who would have wanted your wife dead?

Look, there are a lot of guys out there that would love to see me ice, some from

the old days, some from now.

But nobody could have had it in for her.

The way I figure it, somebody was either trying to get back at me or they

were... And this is more like it.

They thought I was driving the damn car.

But... It was daylight.

Yeah, well, the shooter was what? He was 60, 70 yards away and the car had

tinted windows?

Do the police think you killed your wife because she was going to file for

divorce?

Mr. Mason, I wasn't the easiest guy to live with.

But I loved her.

We had some bad times.

I caught her with another guy.

She swore to me that she had never slept with him and I could never prove that

she had.

So we just went on.

was never the same.

She started drinking.

I started whoring around.

Yet somehow we got through all that.

And yeah, yeah, she talked about divorce.

But she never went through with it and she never would have.

I mean, she still loved me even after 23 years.

So bottom line, are you going to take my case or not?

I'll let you know.

Frank,

I'll let you know.

Hello?

Yeah, Della. Hold on a second.

Yes, Della. Barry, I thought you'd hear this right away.

Johnny and Maria Sorrento have a... 21 -year -old son, Jeff.

And he tried to kill his father two years ago with a .38 revolver.

Why are you asking me all this stuff anyway?

What do you think, maybe I had something to do with my mother's murder?

Not at all. I was just... You're the only person in this world who ever gave

damn about me.

I think your father gives a damn.

Yeah. You know, there's a theory that whoever shot at the car thought your

father was driving it.

I wish he had been.

You hate him that much?

Listen, my old man quit picking me up and holding me when I was five.

Ever since then, he's never been there, not for me or her.

Now, why wouldn't I hate him?

That's why you tried to kill him two years ago.

Hey, look, I didn't try and kill him.

I was messed up on drugs.

He was threatening to put me away someplace.

Down to his office to maybe scare him out of it. He grabbed for the gun. It

off. It was an accident. That's all.

You're clean now.

Yeah, my mom got me into a recovery program.

I've been off the stuff for almost a year now.

Like I said, she's the only one who ever cared.

No, I think your father cares.

When was the last time you saw him?

I saw him at the funeral yesterday.

I didn't talk to him.

Before that, nothing to that gun business.

He kicked me out of the house.

Where were you when your mother was killed?

Uh, Saturday. I was home watching a game on TV.

If only I'd been with her, maybe she'd still be alive.

If only you'd been with your father, you'd know he didn't kill her.

We're taking the case.

I'll call Frank Halloran.

Johnny Sereno is a hood. I just don't think he's the type of client we should

have in this office.

Who should we represent?

Just college professors?

Presidential candidates?

Nobel Prize winners?

Why doesn't he get one of these hot shots and make a living defending wise

You are a friend of Mike Calder, right?

More or less.

Do you like him?

Yes and no.

More or less.

Yes and no.

Well, we were in the same dorm at college, so we should be friends.

But I don't know. He was always so perfect.

All -American running back, great looks, prom queens hanging on each arm, all

that stuff.

I don't know if I just don't like him or if... I've always been jealous.

Why did you go to his party?

Same reason I go to any party.

To meet women. Why?

Well, if he's part of this case, he'd probably rather I talk to him.

That's okay.

Perry, more background information.

Three years ago, Johnny was arrested in Vail.

He was suspected of murdering a drug dealer called Ray Dominick.

I thought Frank Halloran told us Johnny had been straight for the last ten

years. Well, he was relieved when another man, Dave Barrett, confessed the

crime. What happened to this Barrett?

He was convicted of manslaughter.

Got five years, served three.

Sergeant Baranski told me Barrett was released a month ago, but almost

rearrested. What for?

Barrett tried to attack Johnny at a restaurant, a Knicks place, but Johnny

wouldn't sign the complaint.

I'll try to contact this Barrett.

Baranski's office must know where to find him.

And track down that girl at the party.

The one upstairs with Johnny? I think her name is Karen Thatcher. Karen

Thatcher.

Where are you going?

I'm going to see your friend Mike Calder.

And then I'm going to have lunch at Nick's place.

Mr. Calder, I must say you do have a beautiful home here. Thanks.

With your help, maybe I can keep it.

My help?

Yeah, getting Johnny acquitted.

You know the Calder connection, fitness centers.

Problem is, it'll never get off the ground without Johnny's backing.

You couldn't swing it yourself?

Mr. Mason, I'm just about broke.

You see, we bought this place when I was making big bucks in the pros.

Then I tore up my knee and the money stopped.

There must have been other opportunities.

To tell you the truth, the only trade I ever learned was how to take a handoff

and run like hell.

I suppose I could get a job coaching at some backwater college, but that

wouldn't be fair to Joanna.

Mr. Mason, all we've done the past few years is go through our capital.

So when Johnny came to me with this fitness center deal, I jumped at it. All

had to do was lend my name and make a few TV commercials, and I was in for

Did you know Johnny's background?

Sure, but we gave him the benefit of the doubt.

Forty percent is forty percent.

Mrs. Calder, do you have a copy of the guest list for the party?

Sure, I'll get one to you.

Thank you.

By the way, did you notice anyone other than Nick Angel

leave the party before Mrs. Sorrento?

I didn't notice anyone.

I didn't either, but there was a big crowd.

Your partnership agreement with Mr. Sorrento, does it provide for mutual

insurance policies?

To tell you the truth, I never read the whole thing.

I guess I should have, huh?

I would have, but then I'm a lawyer.

Mr. Mason, you can get him off.

We've got a lot at stake.

So does Johnny

Yeah

Dave Barrett live here?

Who wants to know?

My name's Ken Molanski. I work for the attorney who's representing Johnny

Sereno. Can I talk to you for a minute?

You know, my husband's not here right now, so, uh, I guess not. That's okay.

I think you can tell me what I want to know.

Have you been here long?

Two and a half, three years.

Your husband, he was just released from prison.

Yeah.

And right now he's out looking for a job. Must be tough out there for an ex

-con.

Look, why don't you come back later and ask him, okay?

So what do you think?

Ronk's going to trade Winder?

What?

Still warm.

And no lipstick.

My name's Molanski.

I'm sorry, honey. I tried to stop him.

I hear you say you're Johnny Serrano's lawyer.

I work with Perry Mason. He's representing Mr. Serrano. Look, I

to the cops.

Why the cops?

Because like you probably know, I took a swing at Serrano a couple of weeks ago.

Have anything to do with the Ray Dominick murder?

Not murder.

Manslaughter.

But yeah, that was part of it.

You mind talking about it? It ain't no secret.

I used to work for Johnny. I drove for him back east and then out here.

But I had a little thing going on the side.

Dealing drugs?

Yeah.

Anyhow, Dominic was holding out on me. So I went to see him one night, he

a knife and I shot him.

Why'd they pick up Johnny?

I used his car to go see Dominic and somebody made the plate as I was driving

away. Now, how'd they nail you?

I was dumb.

I didn't get rid of the gun and they found it with my prints, so I had to cop

plea. And they let Johnny go.

He had an hour by anyway. That still doesn't explain why you took a swing at

that night.

Look, I did three years hard time for the Dominic thing, and I figured

give me a job when I got out.

So I went to see him, told him I really needed the dough and didn't care what

kind of work it was.

Well, he said he was strictly legit, and he couldn't afford to have an ex -con

on his payroll. I couldn't believe it.

Anyway, when I saw him a couple of nights later at Nick's, I sort of lost

went for him.

Look, Mr. Barrett, the reason I'm here is because we're trying to find out who

actually killed Maria Sereno.

And you came to me?

Huh?

Why the hell would I kill her? I think you better get out of here, mister.

sure.

But first, would you mind telling me where you were at the time of Maria

Sereno's murder?

Yeah, we were here.

Together. The whole day.

I can't tell you how lucky you are to have an alibi from such an impartial

witness.

Thanks for your time.

I'm looking for Nick Angel.

I'm not sure he's here.

My name's Mason. I'm an attorney.

And some guy named Mason wants to see Nick.

Okay?

Okay, we'll talk

later.

You're Mason.

That's right.

I heard about you.

I'm Nick Angel.

That's my wife, Connie.

How do you do?

Pleased to meet you.

I heard you're representing Johnny.

He and I grew up in the same neighborhood in Jersey.

Did you come out here with him?

No, I came out here first and worked around and finally opened this place

two, three years ago.

Then you weren't part of Johnny's organization in the East.

No, no, we traveled in different circles.

No offense, Mr. Angel, but your circle must have played a little rough.

Yeah? Yeah.

You've served time for armed robbery and assault. You were charged at various

times with extortion, arson, even attempted murder.

What do you want, Mason?

Well, I believe Johnny's innocent.

I believe somebody else killed Maria.

And you want to pin it on me?

You're nuts.

You and Johnny had a fight at the Calder party.

What was it about?

Ask him.

I did.

I want to hear your side of it.

Yeah, that's fair.

Johnny owed me some points on that fitness center deal.

See, I introduced Mike Calder to Johnny in the first place.

so there wouldn't be any call to connection if it weren't for me.

Anyhow, when I tried to talk to him about it at the party, he blew up. He

slugged me.

And you were heard to tell Johnny that he'd pay for that.

Come on, it's something you say when you're mad, that's all.

You made a threat, and 15 minutes later, Johnny's car was fired on.

Having left the party early, you wouldn't have known he wasn't driving.

I'd like to see you make that charge in public, Mason.

Sue your tail off.

You know, I heard about Maria finding Johnny at the party with some dame.

It's typical.

Give Johnny a ladder, he'd hit on a giraffe.

I'll tell you.

I'm still surprised, though.

Why?

Well, I thought he had this thing going with Joanna Calder. But I guess you knew

about that.

Of course.

Doesn't everybody?

Well, I suppose there are too many people who know for me to deny it.

So, I had an affair with Johnny.

If you want to call it that.

What would you call it?

A mistake.

It went on for a couple of months and then it ended.

Your ending or his?

His.

Johnny had a low threshold of boredom.

When Mike found out, things got pretty ugly for a while.

But... Not ugly enough to call off the partnership.

Mason, if you make any of that public, I'll sue you for slander and Joanna will

deny everything.

One reason Maria was divorcing Johnny was because she found out about his

with your wife.

I think you got that wrong.

And you, Mr. Calder, were you just going to overlook it?

Joanna and I were going through a bad period then, Mason.

We've worked it out now.

Johnny's forgiven?

It wasn't anyone's fault, really.

That's an interesting attitude.

I looked at your partnership.

At the papers.

If anything happens to Johnny, you will have a lot of money coming

to you.

A lot of money.

Ken, stay on Dave Barrett.

By the way, did you get in touch with... The girl at the party, Karen Thatcher?

I called her apartment.

But her roommate said she's out of town for a few days.

How'd you know she had a roommate? Oh, just figures.

Well, she should be back soon, maybe by tomorrow.

Well, Della, that leaves the guest list.

Frank and I went over it twice.

Everybody except Johnny's bodyguard seemed to be friends of the Calders.

right. By the way, Perry, Johnny wants to see you as soon as possible.

Look, I think it's something personal. It hasn't anything to do with the case.

I hate to say this, especially with Mr. Halloran here, but why are we so certain

Johnny didn't do it?

A divorce would have cost him millions of dollars.

How much would have been involved, Frank?

Millions of dollars.

But Johnny has many millions of dollars.

I mean, whatever a divorce would have cost, it never would have been enough to

justify his killing Maria.

Wait a second.

His womanizing aside, Johnny really loved Maria.

Besides, men from Johnny's background, I mean, they like to think they control

their women. They don't kill them. You don't know where a guy like this draws

the line about killing.

I saw the way he took care of Nick Angel. Believe me, he didn't look like

Boy Scout, Frank.

Johnny didn't kill Maria.

Thank you, Frank.

Dillon.

Ken.

This office is defending Johnny Sorrento.

But you're certainly free to disassociate yourself from this case...

how you feel.

No, I'm in it for the duration.

But I can't help how I feel.

A lot of guys in the department lost a lot of money betting on Mason.

It still doesn't make sense. I mean, you guys working for a hood like Sorrento.

So who should we represent?

The heads of state?

Old surprise winners? The United Nations?

It's okay. I didn't bet.

So what about the dominant case?

It's like I told you, I thought we had Sorrento nailed, but he got away.

Well, I guess that's what happens when somebody else is guilty.

It happened in Vail, so I wasn't directly involved. Who was?

That would be Lieutenant Wyatt's case. He was killed last year.

Skiing accident.

So, uh, why are you so interested in the Dominick case?

Just curious.

Really curious?

Yeah.

Well, I'll call the station in Vail, have them fax you a police report.

Thank you.

Molanski, right?

Right.

You know, I remember the Dominick case, and I always felt like there was

something fishy about it.

Well, sorry we had to meet here, but I had to appear before the judge.

That's all right, Mr. Mason.

Frank tells me you saw my son.

Yes, I like him.

And he hates my guts.

He thinks he hates your guts.

That's what I wanted to see, I'm not... I'd like you to talk to him, you know,

tell him... Tell him I'd like to see him, maybe straighten things out between

us. You mean that?

Yeah.

You see, since Maria was... I mean, now that his mother's gone, I think it would

be good for both of us, you know...

Getting together.

I mean, I tried, but he wouldn't even answer my calls.

How long has it been since you kicked him out?

He was into that drug thing, and it was driving me crazy.

Look, just tell him that I think we need each other right now, okay?

I'll tell him.

I can't promise he'll listen.

Excuse me. Mr.

Mason, please.

Stay.

I sort of thought that you and I could get back together again.

You know, start over or something.

Like nothing ever happened.

Look.

Why don't we just forget about all the bad stuff that happened, you know? You

know what? Pretend like you were this really great father.

Come on, Jeff.

More like you were this really great husband.

That's not fair. Yeah?

Well, how fair was it to Mom the way you always chased your damn women around?

I made her so crazy jealous she turned into a drunk. Look, son, I made

And what about me?

Are you fair to me?

You kicked me out of the house. Jeff, you know why I did it. Look, all I know

how it's hurting.

But right now, I think we could really help each other. No.

I'm off the stuff.

I got a job, and I'm doing just fine, okay?

What job? That crummy construction... Hey, look, it's not that bad, okay?

I don't need any help from you.

Oh, yeah?

How the hell do you think you got that job, huh?

I got it for you. It's my company.

Where do you think you're going?

To go to your company. I quit!

Jeff, you sure you know what you're doing?

Do you really think that I would have taken that stinking job in the first

if I knew it was another one of his crooked deals?

How do you know it's crooked? Because everything he touches is crooked.

Don't you get it?

My dad's a gangster.

From everything I know, he's been out of all of that for years.

Yeah, well, that's crap.

He's seen it up through his neck, always has been.

How do you know that?

My mom told me.

Probably would all come out at the divorce.

I guess that's why he killed her.

Jeff, someone killed your mother, but it wasn't Johnny.

Do me a favor.

When the hearing starts, I'd like you there.

What for?

So you can hear the evidence and judge for yourself.

You owe him that much.

Jeff, you owe yourself that much.

me or what?

Yeah.

Said you're out looking for work. I just wanted to find out where.

Well, now you know.

You can get the hell out of here.

Your condo.

Found out your wife paid cash for it right after you went to prison.

Until then, you were living in a two -room walk -up at 300 bucks a month.

Look, I put some dough away before I was sent up. I wanted Paula to have it easy

while I was inside.

Condo costs a quarter of a million.

That's a lot of dough to have stashed away, especially for a guy who was

as a driver. I told you I had some stuff going on the side.

My guess is killing Ray Dominick got you a bundle.

Oh, yeah?

From who?

You tell me.

What the hell do you want?

I want to know who killed Maria Sereno.

Yeah?

Well, it wasn't me.

If you're saying it was, your mouth's about to get you in some bad trouble, my

man. Where'd you get the money for the big new car with the phone and the CD

player? You lousy son of a... Get out of here, Mr.

We don't want any trouble.

There won't be any trouble.

Dave Barrett.

He's got a lot of money from somewhere, but he'll never tell me where he got it.

Somebody must have paid him for killing Dominic three years ago. Well, our

illustrious client was arrested for it first.

You think it was him?

I don't know.

But I think Barrett knows a lot more about both murders than he's told us so

far.

Well, it's a dead end for me. He almost ran me down yesterday afternoon.

Before that, he tried to brain me with a pool cue.

Then get to his wife somehow.

I want to know if Johnny was any part of this Dominic business.

I'll do what I can. Good.

Hearing starts tomorrow morning.

And don't forget to follow up on Karen Thatcher.

What can she tell us?

What she was doing at the party. Did the Calders invite her? If not, who did?

Della.

Well, she should be back in town by now.

Good. Find her.

Right.

Della, those financial statements, any luck?

I'm still working on them.

And the phone records you wanted.

We need them.

Hearing starts tomorrow.

Vicky, I'll clean up on aisle five, please.

Vicky, I'll clean up on aisle five.

It's Paula, isn't it?

If Dave didn't do anything wrong, he shouldn't be afraid to talk to me.

The money for the condo, the car, where'd he get it?

Killing Dominic?

Something else?

How dare you talk to me like that?

Is there a problem, lady? Is this guy bothering you? Yeah, this guy is

me. He just made a very obscene proposition.

I'm going to go talk to the manager about that.

Look, pal, this is a great place to pick up chicks, but you've got to be a

little bit more subtle, okay?

More subtle, right? Yeah.

the result of your research on the Calder?

The top one.

Very interesting.

Well, well, well.

This is the police report on the Dominic murder.

It was just faxed in from Vail, and I was reading it as it came off the

Johnny Sorrento's alibi was provided by the manager of a restaurant here in

town. He claimed Johnny and his wife were having dinner at his place at the

of the murder.

Tell her I can read. I can read.

And the manager's name is Nick Angel.

Do you find that interesting?

Yeah.

Nick Angel's statement not only gives Johnny an alibi, it also gives Nick an

alibi.

My name's Kim Melancy. Uh, Janice Kirkwood.

I'm sorry I'm running late for work. No, I'm sorry. We were just getting

acquainted.

Well, um, maybe later.

Was that your roommate?

Janet, yeah. She's a dance teacher.

And you're Karen Thatcher.

Do I know you?

I saw you at the Calder party.

I work with an attorney who's representing Johnny Sereno.

Oh.

Wasn't that just awful?

I mean, his wife getting killed like that.

I feel just terrible about it.

Did he really do it?

We don't think so.

Why were you at the party?

I was only there because Maria invited me.

Maria Serena?

You see, we both went to the same beauty shop and got to be really good friends.

Seemed like she really needed one, too.

Like she was real lonely or something.

Anyhow, she asked me to go to this party so she'd have somebody to talk to.

She didn't care much for her husband's friends and... There wouldn't be anybody

else there, she knew.

And you stayed with her at the party?

For a while, but then, well, then she started drinking and I was sort of

left on my own.

And then you decided to get acquainted with her husband?

I know, I know, it sounds awful. But see, Maria told me she was filing for a

divorce, so I didn't think I was like, you know, like trespassing. or anything,

and Johnny Sorrento sure is a fascinating guy.

And you didn't think she'd mind you going upstairs with her husband?

I don't know, but I sure was blown away when she busted in and yelled at him the

way she did. I mean,

she told me she hated him, and I guess what I'm trying to say is that argument

they had wasn't really my fault, but I still feel really rotten about it.

I mean...

What if she hadn't have driven away like that, you know, so upset?

Then maybe she wouldn't have been... You couldn't have foreseen something like

that.

Oh, thank you for saying that.

But I can't help it.

Every time I think about it, I just start to cry.

All these pictures.

You an actress?

trying to be.

But so far, all I've done is a little modeling.

Well, I won't take up any more of your time.

Dave Barrett's just a punk.

He had Ray Dominick killed over a drug deal that went bad.

You didn't give him a job when he got out of prison. Maybe he has it in for

I made a mistake hiring him in the first place. It caused me enough trouble.

You mean using your car when he killed Dominick? Yeah.

He's not only a punk, he's a dumb punk.

So, how's it look?

We'll find out in the morning.

Hearing's at 10 o 'clock.

Do you know the name of the beauty shop your wife went to?

Yeah, it's, uh, Paul Garcia's. Get back!

This is an emergency.

There's been a shooting. We're at 1655 Quincy.

Send an ambulance.

There'll be nothing.

I'm sorry, we have nothing worth saying at this time.

Well, then he said that if she ever tried anything like that, it'd be the

thing she ever did.

And from the tone in his voice, did you believe this to be an actual physical

threat? Objection.

Improper opinion and relevancy.

Sustained.

Mr. Halstead, was Mr. Sorrento smiling when he said this to his wife?

No, he looked really mean.

Thank you, Mr. Halstead.

No further questions.

Mr. Halstead, how long have you worked as a bartender?

About 11 years.

And I imagine you must have witnessed quite a few arguments.

Yes, sir.

In which one person threatened to do bodily harm to the other.

Yes, sir, and many times they did.

But did you ever find it necessary to call the police because of verbal

you may have heard?

No. No?

Why is that, Mr. Halstead?

Well, you know, people get drunk and a lot of stuff gets said that really

doesn't mean anything.

No further questions.

An attorney?

You're not representing that hard cream woman, are you? The one claiming we

burned her scalp?

No.

Actually, I wanted to ask you a few questions about Maria Serena.

Wasn't that the most awful thing? I mean, I adore that woman. And when I

what happened, I couldn't even come into work. I just stayed home and cried my

eyes out.

What I wanted to know was how close a friend was Mrs. Sereno to Karen

Who?

Karen Thatcher.

Now, I don't believe I know the name.

She was a customer here, early 20s, blonde.

Anybody here heard of Karen Thatcher?

No, I'm sure she didn't want to hurt people.

Is it possible Mrs. Sereno went to another shop sometimes?

Of course not. Maria was in here at least twice a week for years.

Matter of fact, poor darling was in here the day she...

packed away and get her hair done for that party she was going to.

I see.

Well, thanks for your time.

And then when we got into the room, he grabbed me and started kissing

me. And then the next thing I knew, Maria burst into the room and said that

she'd see him in court.

Wow.

And then she ran out.

And that's really all I know.

Thank you, Miss Thatcher.

Your Honor, the prosecution rests.

Does the defense wish to cross -examine?

Not at this time, Your Honor, but we reserve the right to recall this

Granted. You may call your first witness, Mr. Mason, and you may step

You and your wife, Joanna, were the first to arrive at the scene of Maria

Sorrento's crash.

and find Johnny Sorrento on the edge of the cliff, unable to help her, were you

not?

Yes, apparently we arrived shortly after Johnny did.

Now, you say shortly.

Would there have been enough time for Johnny Sorrento to have stopped his car

somewhere down the mountain, picked up a gun, and shot Maria's car off the road?

Well, I... Be very careful how you answer the question, Mr. Calder.

If Johnny had stopped the car, left the motor running, fired the gun, and then

raced down the hill, yes, there would have been enough time.

Thank you, Mr. Calder.

That will be... Oh, there is something else.

If Johnny had time to stop his car and shoot a gun at Maria and then continue

down the mountain, so did you.

Now, just a minute. No further questions.

Mr. Stewart?

No, no questions.

Defense calls.

Joanna Calder.

All the events mentioned in your husband's testimony happened just as he

they did.

Absolutely. You followed Johnny Sorrento down the mountain. The car you followed

him with was yours, was it not?

Yes, it was my car.

Ms. Calder.

There's a very odd rack in the back of your car. What is it used for?

Guns. Guns?

Yes.

Yes, it would appear that your husband wasn't the only sports person in your

family. No, I was a champion in France in 1988.

In what sport?

Biathlon.

Well, I'm a skier, you see.

In the biathlon, you also have to use a rifle, do you not?

Yes, I'm an expert with the rifle.

So, in reality, if you had shot Maria Sorrento off the road,

you could have used Johnny's gun or one of yours.

Thank you, Ms. Calder.

No further questions.

No questions.

You may step down.

Well, I was wondering when you'd get here.

Why, who's up next? You.

And I could hear the bullets hitting just over my head.

As far as you know, Mr. Melansky, was anybody aware that you and I were going

be at the defendant's house last evening?

Objection. While the witness's story is very exciting, I fail to see how this so

-called armed attack has any relevancy here.

Relevance? Here's your relevance.

Your Honor.

Part of our defense will be to establish that Mr. Sorrento was the target of the

gunman when his wife was killed.

Therefore, Mr. Malansky's testimony is offered to prove a continuing pattern of

armed assaults against Mr.

Sorrento. Mr. Stewart?

I withdraw the objection.

The witness will answer the question.

To the best of my knowledge, except for the defendant himself...

Nobody else knew that you and I were to be there at that time.

I have no further questions.

Thank you.

Mr. Malensky, is it true that immediately following this incident, you

phone call to the police?

That's right.

What was the subject of that call?

To report the attack, of course, and to give them a description of the car and a

partial license plate number.

Your Honor, may I approach the bench?

I know this is unusual, but a rebuttal witness has just come to our attention,

and I would like permission to examine him at this time.

Mr. Stewart, you know how I feel about surprises. I understand, and I

Your Honor, but this matter only just came to our attention.

Mr. Mason, of course, you have every right to object, and quite frankly, I

be disposed to sustain.

Quite frankly, Your Honor, I'd like to see what excites the prosecution so

I've no objection.

Very well, gentlemen.

I call Albert Farrow to the stand.

The police picked up me and Paul Gilardi and took us in for questioning.

Why did they do that?

Because somebody ID'd our car, they said.

Were you arrested?

Well, yeah, for the shoot -up at Johnny Sorrento's place.

Were you and Mr. Gilardi the ones doing the shooting?

Well, yeah, but we wasn't trying to hurt anybody. It was just a stunt.

Did someone pay you for that stunt?

Yeah.

And is that someone in this courtroom?

Well, sure.

Johnny did.

Let the record show that the witness indicated the defendant.

Hey, believe me, I don't know how Mr. Mason got shot. I mean, we was aiming

their heads. It must have been an accident.

No more questions.

Your Honor, I request a 15 -minute recess.

All I can say is I'm sorry.

Very sorry.

Sorry doesn't cut it, does it?

Johnny, I don't know what you could have been thinking about.

It's just that you guys weren't giving me much encouragement, and I figured we

could use a little help.

Call that charade help?

Look, I said I was sorry, and I swear I didn't mean for you to get hurt. I

didn't want anyone to get hurt.

You're the one that got hurt.

I don't know whether we can repair that damage or not, but if you don't shape

up, you can find yourself another lawyer.

You hear that, Frank?

I hear.

You hear that, Johnny?

And you testified Maria Sorrento invited you to the party.

That's right.

You became friends with Maria at a beauty shop you both went to.

Yes, sir.

Miss Thatcher, what if I told you that the only beauty shop Maria Sorrento

patronized is called Paul Garcia's and that nobody there ever heard of you?

You know what perjury is, don't you?

Yes. Then perhaps you should tell us who invited you to the Calder party.

It, um... It was a man I was involved with.

Objection. I fail to see how the love life of the witness has any relevancy to

this case.

Your Honor, the argument between the defendant and his wife resulted in Mr.

Sorrento driving home alone and being the sole victim of the killer.

Consequently, all circumstances surrounding that argument are extremely

to the defense.

I'll allow the question, and I hope the relevance will soon be more apparent.

I assure the court it will be.

Then you may continue.

May I ask why?

If you were involved with this man, you agreed to go upstairs with the

defendant?

Surely you must have guessed what he had in mind.

Well, my friend wasn't paying any attention to me, and, well,

I thought that I could make him jealous or something. I mean, it was really

stupid because, you see...

He's married.

And I knew he didn't want anybody to think there was anything between us, but

was just feeling so rejected.

Miss Thatcher, who is this man?

Oh, do I have to say?

I would say you have to say.

His name is, um... Nick Angel.

Anyhow, I couldn't let anyone know that Karen and I were together.

I knew I'd get back to my wife.

But you did invite her to the party.

I wasn't planning to.

When she heard about it, she insisted on going.

And since my wife wasn't going to be there anyway, one of us always has to be

the restaurant.

Like a real dummy, I said okay.

And you'd been seeing her secretly for what, days, weeks?

Months? Yeah.

The worst part is I was planning on breaking it off as soon as I could.

Why were you going to do that?

Because I knew I was acting like a real jerk. Karen was young enough to be my

daughter. Besides, I was getting scared.

I mean, if my wife had found out about it, I knew she'd walk.

I really love Connie.

I guess I was just going through a... What do you call it?

A midlife crisis or something.

Trouble is, it'll probably cost me my marriage.

Is it true... Johnny Sorrento provided the financing for your

restaurant?

Yeah, most of it. It paid off for him, too.

Is it also true that three years ago... You provided an alibi for Johnny with

respect to the murder of Ray Dominick?

Johnny didn't need an alibi. Some other guy confessed.

Dave Barrett.

But before Dave Barrett confessed, you gave a statement to the police that at

the time of the murder, Mr.

Sorrento and his wife were dining in a restaurant managed by you.

So what? They were there.

They were.

Yeah, they were.

I've no more questions.

Mr. Stewart?

No, no questions.

Then we'll recess for half an hour and resume at 3 o 'clock.

Here's your coat.

Thank you.

How do you feel?

Oh, some days a bit better.

Think that was a good idea?

Making it seem like Nick was lying about the alibi he gave Johnny?

To find who killed Maria Sorrento, we need the truth from everyone.

You think the alibi was a lie?

Well, let's say I have a strong feeling both Karen Thatcher and Nick Angel were

not telling the truth.

Ken, I want you to get a subpoena for

Karen Thatcher's roommate.

But you don't know what she's going to say.

So you serve the subpoena and talk to her before I put her on the stand.

Well, I can do that.

Harry, I was afraid I'd miss you.

Have you taken your medicine? No. What's this?

These are the financial reports you wanted. They were delivered to the

just a few moments ago. Good. And here are the phone records, too.

Here.

I'll go with them later.

Now, I'm sure Nick was lying.

Not exactly the portrait of a cheating husband and his jealous wife, is it?

Great. That was great, lady.

I'll see you all on Friday.

Hi.

You remember me?

Sure.

You, um, here to sign up for a class?

No, I'm not a dancer.

Then what?

This, I'm afraid.

I was hoping to see you again under different circumstances.

Well, this is a subpoena.

Yeah, we want you to testify at Johnny Sereno's trial about Karen Thatcher.

What can I say about Karen?

What is there to say?

To tell you the truth, I was planning on kicking her out of the apartment.

She hasn't paid her share of the rent in three months.

And she also hit on this guy that I was dating.

We were talking about a real flake.

Well, I'll tell you what. Why don't you get changed and we'll head right over to

the courthouse.

Okay. I'll be right back.

Are you saying...

She wasn't romantically involved with a man named Nick Angel? Nick Angel?

She hated Nick Angel.

She worked for him about a year ago as a waitress.

He promised her he'd help her get a job in show business.

Then after about four months when he didn't make good, she told him off and

quit.

Do you know how or why Miss Thatcher was invited to the Calder party?

She told me...

that she was going to the party as part of some weird job and that it would lead

to a part in a Hollywood movie.

Thank you, Miss Kirkwood. Thank you very much.

I have no more questions.

No questions.

In that case, we'll recess until 10 o 'clock tomorrow morning.

Excuse me for interrupting.

But are we going to be here much longer?

No. As a matter of fact, you can leave immediately.

Good. I want you to get a subpoena issued and served on Dave Barrett

But I have a dinner date with Janice Kirkwood tonight.

That's all right.

She can go with us.

Della and I will take very good care of her. Will we not?

Oh, yes.

Um, the Rose Room at the Carlton.

Would that be all right?

Oh, that'd be great.

Just great.

There For you, what the hell is it?

Excuse me.

The lady with the guy that was shot, where'd she go?

Man, she took off in a major panic. Didn't even wait for a car.

Didn't say anything?

I want to know where the nearest bus station was.

the lady alone.

She's a witness to a murder. If she doesn't come with me now, the cops will

you on the road.

Make it fast.

Paula.

No. If I stay, they'll kill me too.

Who will?

I don't know.

But they got Davey.

They got Davey and they're gonna get me too.

Not if we find them first. We'll protect you, I promise.

Please, look, just let me get out of town, okay? Let me get out.

You know I can't do that.

I'll make it easy on both of us.

Okay, you'll really give me some protection?

All you want.

And so, Mrs. Barrett, you're... Your Honor, may I have a moment, please?

Very well, Mr. Stewart.

Thank you, Your Honor. Your Honor, may I have a moment?

You gave the prosecutor the ballistics report on the bullet that killed

Yes. Well?

Didn't match with anything in our files.

Did you ever test the bullet that went through me?

I guess they thought it wasn't necessary. It had to come either from

gun or Gilardi's gun.

Sergeant, I need your help fast. Check that bullet through. Let me know the

results immediately.

Thank you, Your Honor.

Before the interruption, Mrs. Barrett, you were telling us your husband did not

kill Ray Dominick. Your Honor, as we discussed in chambers this morning...

prosecution has continuing hearsay and relevancy objections to Mr. Mason's

entire line of questioning of this witness. Your objections are noted, Mr.

Stewart, but the court is overruling those objections for now.

You may, of course, move to strike should Mr. Mason fail to fulfill the

of proof he made to this court.

Thank you again, Your Honor.

Mrs. Barrett, your husband did not kill Ray Dominick, did he?

No. We weren't even in town that day. We could have proved it.

Then why did he confess?

He got paid half a million bucks.

Five thousand a month while he was in prison.

I begged him not to do it.

He said he could earn more money in jail for a couple of years than he could on

the outside.

So... Do you know who paid him this money?

He told me it was better if I didn't know.

Mrs. Barrett, you told the police that on the day Maria Sorrento was killed,

your husband never left home.

Now, that wasn't true, was it?

Mrs. Barrett, there's nothing more for you to fear.

Now, please, tell us.

No.

He wasn't home that day.

Do you know where he was?

He was on a hill overlooking Crestline Road.

Waiting to kill Maria Sorrento.

Objection, Your Honor. Motion to strike.

Motion to strike denied.

Proceed, Mr. Mason.

How do you know where your husband was when Maria Sorrento was killed?

He told me where he was going.

He even showed me the rifle he stole from Johnny's house.

Then, when he got back, he said...

He said it all went like clockwork.

Did he tell you why he killed Mrs. Sorrento?

He didn't have to.

I knew.

He already got paid $250 ,000.

He was supposed to get another $250 ,000 after he did it.

How did you know that?

I heard him talking on the phone with this guy a few times.

Once when I answered the phone, this guy asked for Dave, and Dave, like, you

know, motioned for me to get on the extension.

So I did.

Your Honor.

I know, Mr. Mason. Have your moment, but make it brief.

Mrs. Barrett.

Why did you and Dave go to Nick's place last night?

Because the same guy calls up and...

Tell Dave to get over there and collect the rest of the money.

I know it was the same guy because I answered the phone again.

Whose voice was it?

I don't know.

Was it Johnny Sorrento?

No. No. I would have known him.

No further questions.

But I request the right to recall the witness.

Granted. Mr. Stewart.

Mrs. Barrett, you're telling us that your husband took the fall for someone

in the murder of Ray Dominick. That's right.

Well, tell us, if you know, who that someone else was.

My husband took the fall for Johnny Sorrento.

Dominick was dealing bad drugs to Johnny's kids, so...

Johnny killed him.

Aye. No further questions.

Mr. Mason.

No questions at this time, Your Honor, but I will recall this witness.

Granted.

Witness may step down.

You knew that was coming, didn't you?

Yes. Didn't you?

Mr. Mason?

Defense calls Frank Halloran to the stand.

Mr. Halloran, tell us your occupation and your relationship to the defendant,

John Sorrento. Yes, I'm an attorney, but for the past ten years, my practice has

been exclusively limited to managing the business affairs of Mr. Sorrento.

Including payment of outstanding accounts?

Yes. During the past ten years, did John Sorrento or any business connected to

Mr. Sorrento pay any monies to Dave Barrett?

Not that I know of.

And I would know.

Yes, you would.

Thank you, Mr. Halloran.

No further questions, but I reserve the right to recall the witness.

Mr. Stewart?

No questions, Your Honor.

You may step down, sir.

I recall Paula Barrett.

Mrs. Barrett, under oath you told us you couldn't identify the voice of the man

who phoned your husband. Is that still true?

No. Then who was it?

The man who just testified.

Frank Halloran?

Yeah.

Thank you, Miss Barrett.

Mr. Stewart?

I... I have no questions for this witness.

Witness may step down.

Defense recalls Karen Thatcher to the stand.

We ask that she be declared a hostile witness.

Mr. Stewart.

No objections.

Granted. Miss Thatcher, you testified you went upstairs with Johnny Sorrento

make Nick Angel jealous. Is that correct?

That's right.

But how could you make him jealous?

If he'd already left the party.

I don't know. I guess I didn't realize he'd already gone.

But you approached Mr.

Sorrento immediately after his altercation with Nick Angel.

And you did see Mr.

Angel leave.

I don't remember.

You don't remember.

Your roommate, Miss Kirkwood, testified that you hated Nick Angel.

Now, it really wasn't Mr. Angel who invited you to that party, was it?

Miss Thatcher, we are talking about the murder of Maria Sorrento.

Isn't it time you started telling the truth?

You're right. It wasn't Nick.

If it wasn't Nick...

Just a man I met when I was working for Nick.

He said he wanted me to go to a party and make a play for Johnny Sorrento.

He said all I had to do was to get Johnny to take me upstairs and he'd give

thousand dollars and a part in one of Johnny's movies.

Just a man.

Just a man.

What man?

Frank Halloran.

And when I told him that I'd been subpoenaed, he gave me that Nick story.

And he told me it had been cleared with Nick, too.

Will you recall, Frank Halloran?

Your job with the defendant pays you a substantial salary, enough that you need

no other clients.

It's very demanding work.

But you could ill afford something like Mr. Sorrento being convicted of murder.

I won't deny that, Counselor.

But that's not what I had in mind when I retained you to defend Mr.

Sorrento. Oh, I'm not talking about this case.

I'm referring to the murder of Ray Dominick.

I don't know what you mean.

Isn't it true that when Johnny Sorrento was arrested for the murder of Ray

Dominick, you arranged an alibi for him?

My actions, Counselor, on behalf of my client, Mr.

Sorrento, were totally proper.

Didn't you promise Nick Angel special financing if he would swear that when

Dominick was killed, Johnny and his wife were dining at a restaurant managed by

Nick Angel? No, I did not.

Didn't you also make a deal with Dave Barrett to confess to the murder?

Absolutely not.

Mr. Halloran, I have photocopies of 36

checks.

36 checks for $5 ,000 each.

Signed by you and endorsed by Dave Barrett.

Checks he received every month while he was in prison.

I'd say that somebody must have been forging my signatures.

A month ago, you learned from Maria Sorrento's attorney

that Maria finally intended to divorce Johnny and was threatening to reveal

something incriminating about him. Isn't that correct?

I suppose so.

What of it? Well, your next move was to...

Have all the phones in the Sorrento household tapped.

You had to know all that was going on, and you did.

You felt Maria was going to implicate Johnny in the Dominic murder.

If that happened, you would be implicated.

You'd face criminal charges. Your career would be destroyed.

That's absolutely ridiculous.

You knew of Maria's obsessive...

so you hired Karen Thatcher to make a play for Johnny.

You made sure Maria saw the two of them going upstairs together. You were

sitting with her, weren't you?

You made sure she followed them.

You waited till she stormed back and out of the house, and then, Mr. Halloran,

you had to get to a telephone.

Get to a telephone?

To do what?

You called Dave Barrett in his car to tell him Maria was on her way.

Dave was already at his vantage point.

He then shot Maria's car out from under her.

This is... Your Honor, this is all an obscene lie.

Dave Barrett left Johnny's rifle where it could be easily found. He planted one

of Johnny's cigarrillos there.

Now, Frank, now you are in bad trouble.

You had to clear Johnny without implicating yourself.

You can't prove any of this.

Karen Thatcher's testimony.

Checks made out to Dave Barrett.

Paula's testimony that she recognized your voice.

There's more, Frank.

There's what, more lies?

The Calder house phone records show a call placed to Dave's car phone ten

minutes before Maria was killed.

We have your home and office records.

Then we have this.

That bullet came from the gun that killed Dave Barrett.

It is the bullet that went through me.

Now, Frank, you were the only other person who knew we'd be at Johnny's

house.

We've been friends for almost 30 years, Frank.

Why did you try to kill me?

Because you're getting too close.

All this time I've known you, I never thought you were a great lawyer, just a

lucky one.

You were getting too close.

All I wanted you to do was to get Johnny off. I didn't want Maria to die, but

I couldn't let her go through with the divorce. I didn't want to kill Dave

Barron. I didn't want you to die.

But I couldn't let you get too far. You learned

too much.

I was...

I was never lucky.

I'm sorry, Frank.

Your Honor,

I move that all charges against the defendant be dismissed.

Motion granted.

The bond is discharged.

And the defendant is free to go.

But I order the arrest of Frank Halloran for first -degree murder.

And the arrest of Nick Angel and Ms. Thatcher on charges of perjury.

And I request that the district attorney's office further investigate

of Ray Dominick.

This court is adjourned.

Mr. Mason, thank you for everything and nothing.

My office will not charge you for either.

It's Dominic business.

You want to handle it for me?

Jeff?

Jeff, do you trust him now?

I want to trust him.

No, I don't trust him.

I can't.

That's how it is, Johnny.

We can't trust you.

You will stay in touch with us.

Harry.

It's just that... It's just what I had to do to Frank.

Just... I know.

Yes, you know.

Viacom.