Original subtitles

Beyond belief, fact or fiction.

Hosted by Jonathan Frakes.

Tonight, your challenge is to separate what

is true from what is false.

Five stories-- some real, some fake.

Can you judge which are fact and which are fiction?

To find out, you must enter a world

of both truth and deception.

A world that is beyond belief.

We've all seen paintings that seem to follow

us as we move around the room.

But what do you make of a painting that

changes as we move around it.

This is a picture of a cityscape.

Look at it straight on and you see the fronts of the building.

But move around it, and the sides of the building

come into view.

How is this possible?

The ingenious artist painted this picture on a canvas

with ridges, so as you move, your perspective

constantly changes.

So be aware that while you may view our stories tonight

in one way, much like this picture,

your perspective may suddenly change.

Sound confusing?

Don't worry, you'll get the picture.

The accessories of a courtroom--

sometimes cameras are allowed in to record the proceedings.

And when cameras are not permitted,

a courtroom artist sketches the participants.

But can any artist or camera capture

absolute truth in the court.

For even under oath, only witnesses know the truth

of their own testimony.

Matt Richmond is a lawyer who cares about the truth.

He'll fight for any client-- rich or poor--

as long as he is convinced of their innocence.

And concerning his latest case, in a few moments,

he's about to get the true picture.

Three months ago I

was hired by Lloyd Corbel as his defense attorney

in a capital murder case.

Corbel was accused of brutally stabbing his young wife

Corinne to death.

What do you think?

I don't know.

I couldn't read him.

Have faith.

I liked Corbel from the first day I met him.

He had an easy charm that was hard to resist.

Prosecution presented a strong case

of a jealous husband who murdered

his wife in a fit of rage.

Corbel swore he was asleep in the bedroom when his wife

Corinne was surprised by an intruder who

viciously stabbed her to death.

Corinne's parents-- Doug and Beverly Weeks--

came to the trial every day.

They were certain Corbel was guilty.

I was certain he was innocent.

Madam Forewoman, has the jury reached a verdict?

Yes, we have your honor.

Will the defendant please rise.

The jury had only been out for two days.

I was worried.

How do you find the defendant on the single count

of murder in the first degree?

We the jury, find the defendant, Lloyd

Russell Corbel, not guilty.

On

Oh, my God.

We did it.

We did it.

Corbel, you are free to go.

I want to thank the ladies and gentlemen

of the jury for all their hard work on a very difficult case.

This court is dismissed.

You're a genius counselor.

No, you saved yourself, Lloyd.

It was that story you told them on the stand.

That's what turned them.

The pin star?

Yeah.

About how this was the last gift my dear Corinne

had given me, and how I would cherish

it for the rest of my life.

I saw the jury's face as you moved them all.

It was obvious that you loved her very much.

Did I really come across?

As I didn't love that slut.

Not one bit.

What did you say?

Corinne was sleeping with everybody in town.

I know she was.

I could feel it.

I could see it on her face.

I could-could smell it on her clothes.

I got a confession to make, counselor.

There was no intruder.

I killed Corinne.

It will be our little secret.

Oh, in case you're thinking about talking,

just remember, double jeopardy.

I can't be tried again.

I don't believe this.

Well, believe it.

Hey, I want you to have this, to remember me by.

Along with that fat check you're going to get.

You're a genius.

I couldn't think straight.

What had I done?

Here he comes.

Corbel.

Please.

Mr. Corbel, what-- what are your plans now?

Well, this has been a very trying ordeal,

for me, and for Corinne's parents.

I want you all to think about this.

The real killer is still out there somewhere,

and I'll be offering a reward for his capture.

But for now I would truly appreciate it

if you all would just give me a bit of time

to try and get my life back together.

And to do some grieving in private.

Thank you.

Mr. Corbel, just one more question--

It made me sick inside

to know that Corinne's parents were in so much pain

and Corbel was walking away a free man.

And then, for some reason I suddenly remembered the pen.

It disgusted me to touch it.

I didn't want it anywhere near me.

All I could think about was getting it back to him.

Corbel.

Yeah.

I don't want your pen.

I don't want anything of yours.

Well suit yourself, counsellor.

You just passed up a $1,500 pen.

Yeah, well you keep it.

You're going to need it to get the devil's autograph.

The devil's autograph.

The devil's autograph.

That's-- that's funny.

It was the strangest thing I'd ever seen.

Somehow, in the fall, the pen had penetrated his chest

and pierced his heart.

Lloyd Corbel was dead.

What caused the elevator to malfunction

at that particular time?

It had never done that before or after.

And how do you explain the pen being the instrument

of Lloyd Corbel's death?

Were the fates at play here, or was it mere happenstance?

Should our writers be praised for transcribing the truth?

Or are they guilty of artistic perjury?

We'll find out that if this story is true or false

at the end of our show.

Next, see what kind of curse can make your hair

and teeth fall out on Beyond belief, fact or fiction.

Have you checked the back sections of newspapers

and magazines lately?

You'll find you can become anything

from a dental assistant to a minister

by simply purchasing a degree through the mail.

Like all such offers, some are more legitimate than others.

Charlie Lunt has been making a good living

from offering illegitimate degrees through the mail.

But his dirty little scheme is about to unravel.

And he'll soon discover that these worthless certificates

may include something Charlie never bargained for.

A curse.

Hello, I'm Charles Lunt, president and founder of NTTA,

the national technical training camp.

In just three short weeks, you'll

become a highly paid and sought after computer technician.

The costs for the entire course, only $999.95.

You have my guarantee that NTTA

diploma will get you a high paying

job in computer electronics--

- in computer electronics,

or I'll personally refund your money.

I love you, Charlie.

Con artist Charlie Lunt has put together

a lot of scams in his day.

But this current one is his most successful yet.

$10,000.

Victory is sweet.

Mmm.

Good week, huh, Mr. Lunt.

Not bad but we can still do better.

Send out that new batch of diplomas?

They went out this morning.

Mmm, good girl.

Oh, you got some more letters.

They're all from people demanding their money back.

They said they couldn't find any work.

Gee, really, that's too bad.

But you can't always bet a thousand, Jamie.

Just leave them here, I'll take care of them.

Yes, sir.

Don't hold your breath's.

Oh, I'm going to rock your world.

Ah!

I've been waiting for you Mr. Lunt.

- Who are you? - I am one of your students.

How'd you find me?

I mean, uh, what's the problem?

Didn't you get your diploma?

I received my diploma, but I never

found a job like you promised.

I looked for six months, but no one would hire me.

I wrote you for a refund, but you never answered.

I have a family and I have no money.

I want my refund, Mr. Lunt.

Look, I never promised how long

would it take to get a job.

So technically, I don't owe you anything.

And it will hold up in court.

You are a fake, a fraud, and I want my money.

Get your hands off me.

Hey, security.

I want my refund.

- I don't owe you anything. - I want my refund.

Get you hands off me.

I want my refund.

I want him arrested for trespassing and assault.

You will be sorry!

will hunt you.

Yeah, yeah.

Hey, thanks for the buck, creep.

Ah!

Over the next month,

Charlie's mail order scam boomed.

His only problem was where to hide all the cash.

He didn't want to use a bank, because he wasn't planning

on reporting any of the money.

Charlie solved this problem by having

the wall behind the steel bookcase hollowed out.

Charlie loved having his money right behind him,

so he could count it whenever he wanted to.

But then something strange began to happen.

Well, you've got 10 more checks and 15 more

letters asking for refunds.

My god, Mr. Lunt, what's wrong?

You don't look so good.

I'm feeling awful lately.

Can't keep anything down, nauseous all the time,

could barely get out of bed this morning.

Well, maybe you should see a doctor.

I've already been to a doctor, said he

couldn't find anything wrong.

It's probably just the flu.

Yeah, that's right, it's just the flu.

It was frightening to hear the doctors

had no answers, especially for a man who was

so vain about his appearance.

Oh, god.

It's happening.

Good morning, Mr. Lunt.

Did you have a good weekend?

Got the morning mail.

There's a bunch of checks that could cheer you up.

Are you feeling better?

Wow, that's a lot of money.

Mr. Lunt?

Mr. Lunt?

Mr. Lunt, are you all right?

When Charlie Lunt hollowed out

the wall behind him, he didn't know that he was removing

the lead shield that protected his office

from the radiology x-ray lab located next door.

The green glow of his money was enhanced

by repeated doses of radiation.

Was Charlie's demise really the fulfillment of a curse,

or was it only the result of the radiation coming

through the wall next door?

And what made him choose to hide his money in the hollow wall?

He had been in that office for years,

yet never chose to do that until after the curse.

Is this story of the man who peddled phony diplomas a lie?

Or does it contain a degree of truth?

We'll find out the story is true or false

at the end of our show.

Next, a mysterious publication changes

the life of a teenage boy, on Beyond belief, fact or fiction.

The corner news stand--

even with all the information that's

available on the internet, TV, and radio these days--

is still a special place with it's color, sounds of the city,

and other things to excite your senses.

I read this one for the articles.

The fact is, you can find a variety of things

in a stand like this, but young Vinnie Rose

is about to find something he needs more than anything

in the world.

A mentor.

My mom died when I was 11.

I've been scavenging out in the street ever since.

It was hard when I had no place else to go.

The streets are a tough place to live when you're only 15.

I was born into a rough life.

My dad was a bad drunk.

I don't remember much about him, but he

beat me with his belt. Ran on me my mom when I was only three.

All he left behind was a lot of bills and a belt

buckle with his initials on it.

DR for Don Rose.

I wear the belt buckle to remind me never to trust nobody.

I didn't have any friends or any future.

I didn't really care.

I just wanted to get my cans and get out of there

before those guys came back.

That's when I found it.

The old magazine was in perfect condition.

I figured it must have been worth something.

Thank you, sir.

Hey, mister.

Hey, mister.

What do you want?

How much you give me for this?

Pretty good condition, you steal it.

No.

I found under a dumpster, I swear.

I'll give you $10.

$20, and that hoagie sandwich you got sitting over there.

You got a deal.

Never seen you around here before, uh, where do you live?

All over.

How'd you end up homeless.

Listen, can I just have my money.

Sure.

What your name?

Vinnie.

You got parents?

Just my mom but she's dead.

I was through wasting my time with this guy.

There was something about him I kind of like.

Hey-- hey kid.

I could use some help around here.

So?

So I'm offering you a job.

Well, what's the catch?

Catch?

You got to work.

Doc gave me some money.

Told me to get some new clothes and clean myself up.

Then he taught me all about running a new's stand.

How to make change, how to order stuff,

and how some things have a value you can't put a price on.

A buck.

That's not for sale.

He was better to me than anyone I'd ever known.

After a while, I got so good at what I was doing,

Doc actually left me in charge.

He'd take off for a couple hours every few days.

He said he had some business he had his care of.

He never told me what it was.

Hey, put them back.

Put what back.

You were stealing cigarettes.

Hear that?

He's calling me a thief.

You believe that?

Look, just put cigarettes back,

and I won't call the cops.

You know what would look cool on you?

Let him go.

Let him go!

What are you going to do about it old--

Let him go!

Dude's crazy.

Let's get out of here.

I'm sorry, Doc.

I'm-- I'm sorry I let you down.

Don't worry, you--

you did fine.

You OK?

I'll-- I'll go clean that up.

The next day, Doc left again.

I was glad he still trusted me to run things.

This time a week went by and I still hadn't heard from him.

I was worried, but I didn't know who to call or how to find him.

Are you Vincent Rose.

Yeah, why?

I'm Doc's attorney, Addison Montgomery.

I'm afraid I have bad news for you.

What?

Where's Doc.

Doc was diagnosed with a brain tumor six months ago.

He died yesterday during surgery.

He, uh, he asked me to give you this,

in case he didn't make it.

He was a good man.

Dear Vinnie, when I first saw you,

I knew who you were right away.

You were wearing my belt buckle, and I'm ashamed to say,

it's the same one I used to hit you with when I got drunk.

I'm your father.

What I did a long time ago was very wrong.

Now, I want to do what's right.

The key in this envelope is to a safety deposit

box at First Monument Bank.

Inside is the deed to the newsstand and $50,000.

Everything I had in this world is now yours.

I love you son and I'm sorry I had to leave you again.

Don Doc Rose, Your dad.

Remember this magazine?

It's the one that brought Doc and Vinnie together.

Where did it come from?

And how could a magazine from 1939-- found in an ally--

still be in such pristine condition?

Did Doc know that Vinnie was in the area

and plant the magazine for him to find?

If so, how could he be sure Vinnie would

bring the magazine back him?

Is this touching tale of a father, son

reunited based on truth, or is it as false as the headlines

of a phony tabloid.

We'll find out if this story is true or false

at the end of our show.

Next, a killer is on the loose in a graveyard, on Beyond

belief, fact or fiction.

Have you ever walk through a graveyard?

Could be a strange and foreboding place, especially

when the sky is overcast and the wind

swirls around the grave sites.

Michelle Lambert and Stacey Gilmore

are at the cemetery this day to work on a school project,

and the chill in the air they're about to feel

is due to more than the sudden change in the weather.

It was the time of year when

the weather gets unpredictable.

But my girlfriend Stacy and I were

given a predictable assignment for history class.

We had to trace the family trees of

our prominent local citizens.

This meant long, cold days spent at the local cemetery.

I'm ready for a break.

Do you mind?

I told you to eat more at lunch.

Well, I wasn't expecting to be here all day.

Is there such a thing as cemetery-itis?

Amazing, isn't it?

That no matter who these people were in their lives--

no matter how important--

they all ended up in the same place.

After all the time we spent researching this stupid report,

I feel like we've ended up here.

My god, what was that?

I don't know.

A car backfire?

I don't think there's a road on that side of the cemetery.

Well, what else could it be?

That's weird.

What?

That guy.

I suppose he works here.

It's nobody I've seen before.

Well, forget about him. He's not even your type.

Meaning what?

OK, that was a gun shot.

- He's got a gun. - You're kidding right?

No, I'm not, and he's heading this way.

Quick, over here.

There!

Where are you going?

To see what he was shooting at behind those trees.

Did you hear something?

No, come on, now.

Oh, let them know, Roy Hennessey

was killed by Jerry Fletcher.

Tell them that.

We got to get to the car.

I left my cell phone there.

Come on, we've got to call the police.

He staggered toward us.

He was holding his stomach and there was blood on his shirt.

He fell down on his knees and-- and then he

said, let them know Roy Hennessey

was killed by Gerry Fletcher.

Tell them that, tell them.

Those were the man's exact words and the exact names

he told him, you're sure?

Yes, positive.

Believe me, there's not one detail of this

I'll ever be able to forget.

God knows I'm going to try.

Detective Tanner.

Is that is?

Yeah the knapsack and things like they said.

But there's no sign of a body, anywhere.

That doesn't make any sense.

Maybe we were wrong.

Maybe he wasn't dead.

He could have crawled away.

Look, you'll have to check the whole cemetery.

It-- it isn't exactly that I don't believe you.

What about the man with the gun, with the long hair?

He ran right past us, we didn't make this up.

Why isn't somebody out there looking

for this Gerry Fletcher guy?

Are we done hear, sir?

Radio Sergeant Morgan.

He's making a transfer from downtown to the county lockup,

I want him to swing by here.

Yes, sir.

This way, please.

Yes, that's the man we saw.

That's the one.

Absolutely, no question.

That is amazing.

You've already got him in custody.

You guys are so fast.

It's Fletcher right?

What is it?

I'm afraid there's a couple of problems with your story.

It's not a story, it's what happened.

First, the man you said who died, Roy Hennessey,

was shot and killed in this cemetery.

So what's the problem?

It was two years ago.

Well then Fletcher shot somebody here two hours ago.

That is Fletcher right?

The man in the patrol car is in fact Gerry Fletcher.

He was picked up after he botched an armed robbery.

But you couldn't have seen him here,

he's been held in police custody for 72 hours.

So, I don't know what to tell you ladies.

Well then, who shot Roy Hennessey?

Case has never been solved.

You did it. We know you did it.

Tell them!

Tell them!

Michelle.

Michelle, come on, we did what we could do.

Let's just forget about it.

Let's go by forensics.

Just for the hell of it, I want to run a test on Fletcher's gun

from the robbery.

Your, uh, your thinking there's

a match with that old murder based on this?

I know, I know.

The results of the test on Gerry Fletcher's

hand gun showed it was the same weapon

that had been used in the shooting of Roy Hennessy.

When he was told about the evidence,

Gerry Fletcher confessed to the murder

that he had committed two years before.

What did Michelle and Stacy really see?

Did they witnessed the original murder

in some unexplainable time warp?

Or perhaps some locals who knew the story were playing

a prank on the two girls.

But then how do you explain the identity

of the man in the police car?

It's just bizarre story of the cemetery based on fact,

or have our writers toiled too long on the graveyard shift?

We'll find out if this story is true or false

at the end of our show.

Next, a helpless old woman encounters

two strange drifters, on Beyond belief, fact or fiction.

The romance of the trail.

The notion of the grizzled cowboys riding into the sunset.

It's always meant heroic freedom to most Americans,

but not everyone in the old west lived an adventurous life.

A good many of them like Zerelda Hart struggled to get by.

Barely making ends meet, she lives alone in her tiny cabin,

sometimes not seeing another soul for weeks at a time,

until one fateful night.

The year was 1870

and Zerelda Hart had been living alone ever since the passing

of her husband Cleveland.

Zerelda's cabin was located in the remote hills

of northern Missouri.

It had been a hard and lonely life for Zerelda,

but she remained a charitable and decent person.

Zerelda's nearest neighbors were over 40 miles away.

She seldom had visitors, especially on a cold,

rainy night.

My lord, you boys are soaked to the bone.

Yes we are, ma'am.

We've been riding for a long time.

We'd truly appreciate it if might come in and sit

for a spell by your fire.

Oh, please do.

Come right on in.

Get yourselves out of the cold.

You all alone here ma'am?

Yes I am.

My husband Cleveland took sick and died two years ago.

Don't you have no kids to help you out.

No, we never had children.

It was just Cleveland and myself.

Oh, that's too bad.

It's tough being a woman all alone, especially way out

here in the middle of nowhere.

My name's Zerelda, Zerelda Hart.

It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, ma'am.

Let's see, now.

What are you doing there, ma'am?

These we're Cleveland's.

Get yourselves out of those wet clothes

before you catch your death of cold.

It might not fit you very well but at least they're dry.

Thank you, kindly.

You can keep them.

I have no use for them anymore.

I bet you're hungry.

You've been kind enough ma'am, we don't want you

to any anymore trouble, ma'am.

I sure can stand to eat something though.

I got some soup on the stove.

You sure are nice.

She kind of reminds me of m-- ma.

Your brothers?

No, ma'am. He means his mom.

Zerelda couldn't quite

figure out the two strangers.

She wondered who they were and why they seemed so secretive.

And where you boys headed?

Home.

You been away for a spell?

A spell.

How about you?

How long you lived in this place?

20 years.

Ever since Cleveland built it.

Had a lot of happy days here.

My memories are all good.

What's wrong?

We never had much money.

But after Cleveland passed, things got really bad,

and I had to borrow $900 from the Davies Savings

Bank in Galilee just to get by.

I put up the house and land as collateral.

Now, that note has come due.

Tomorrow, someone has come in from the bank to collect.

I have no way to pay it.

I'm going to lose my home.

Where will you go?

I don't know.

I didn't mean to burden you with this.

There's nothing that anybody can do.

Why don't you get some sleep and I'll get up and fix

you breakfast in the morning.

When Zerelda got up the next morning,

the only thing on her mind was the foreclosure of her home.

She was sorry to see that the two strangers were gone.

She had never even found out who they were, and then she saw it.

Left on her table were nine $100 bills along with a note.

Dear Mrs. Zerelda, we thank

you for your kindness to us.

We thought you could use this.

Make sure you ask the banker for a receipt.

Several hours later,

the man from the bank arrived with foreclosure papers

ready to be signed.

Mrs. Zerelda Hart?

JT Burnham from the Davies Savings Bank.

I've been expecting you.

JT Burnham was a man who

was trained in counting money.

There was no doubt that he was holding $900 in his hand.

Burnham couldn't understand how Zerelda

Hart could pay the entire amount that she owed the bank.

He found it equally odd that it was all in $100 bills.

But the thing that really surprised him

was when she insisted on a receipt.

He reluctantly gave her one, but was puzzled as to why

she made such a point of it.

Hand over your money stack, now.

I have no money.

All right.

All right, don't shoot.

You boys are going to get into a lot of trouble for doing this.

They're going to put a price of your heads.

We already got a price on our heads.

Tell your friends, you were just robbed

by Frank and Jesse James.

Did Jesse and Frank James really play the part

of Robin Hood for Zerelda Hart?

It's hard to imagine that the plight of the helpless old lady

might have actually touched the cold, stone hearts

of the West's most notorious outlaws.

In presenting this piece of cowboy lore,

have we given you a tale based on the fact,

or did the truth just go that a way.

Next, you'll find out which of our stories are facts,

and which are fiction, when Beyond belief returns.

Now, let's look back at tonight's stories

and find out which ones are inspired by actual events,

and which ones are totally false.

What about the criminal who used a pen

to write a death sentence.

Corbel.

Yeah.

I don't want your pen.

I don't want anything of yours.

Well, suit yourself, counsellor.

You just passed up a $1,500 pen.

Yeah, well you keep it.

You're going to need it to get the devil's autograph.

The devil's autograph.

The law books are filled with bizarre tales

of people who met with strange ends after their trial.

Was this one?

Yes.

An event like this happened to a lawyer

from upstate New York in the '70s.

Let's review the story of the mail order swindler

who cheated everything but death.

I want him arrested for trespassing and assault.

You will be sorry.

will hunt you.

Yeah, yeah.

Hey, thanks With buck, creep.

Ah!

Is it possible this story is true?

Yes it is.

A similar story occurred outside New York City in the late '80s.

How about the story of a father and son who

were reunited at the corner newsstand?

Hey, mister.

What do you want?

How much you give me for this?

Pretty good condition, you steal it?

No.

I found it under a dumpster, I swear.

- I'll give you $10. - $20.

Was this story based on a real happening?

Not this time.

Our writer's made it up.

And what was your opinion of the two girls who just witnessed

a murder in the cemetery?

A murder that took place two years before.

OK, that was a gun shot.

Where's that guy?

He's got a gun and he's headed this way.

Quick, over here.

Was a story inspired by a actual event?

Yes.

Our research found a published report of a similar story.

Let's review the story of the good deed performed

by Frank and Jesse James.

Hand over your money sack, now.

I have no money.

All right.

All right, don't shoot.

You boys are going to get into a lot of trouble

for doing this.

They're going to put a price on your head.

We already got a price on our heads.

Tell your friends, you were just robbed

by Frank and Jesse James.

Can it be this story is fact?

Yes it is.

The event was reported as having taken place

in the Ozark foothills in 1870.

So do you still think that fact and fiction

are polar opposites?

Or do they occupy the exact same space?

And trying to find one without encountering the other

is a challenge that is truly beyond belief.

I'm Jonathan Frakes.

The stories entitled "Devil's Autograph" and "Mail

Order Degree" are true, based upon firsthand research

conducted by author Robert Tralins.

This is Campbell Lane.