01x38 - The Case of the Terrified Typist

[bunniefuu]

Oh, Barney,
when you get a chance,

would you take this watch up
to Crawford Jewelry for me?

Right away, Mr. Mason.

Thank you.

Did you lock the door?

No. Hope you have the keys.
I seem to have misplaced mine.

Well, we'd better
get down to the airport

or we'll miss Baxter.

Going down, please.

Well, how do you do?
I'm Baxter.

Is Mr. Jefferson in
or Mr. Lumis?

No, they're out.

Oh. I dare say
they're at the airport.

We seem to have missed
our connections.

They won't be back
for quite a while.

Well, please don't
let me disturb you.

You get right on
with your work.

I say, um,
I was just wondering,

how long
have you worked here?

Ever since
the office opened.

Three weeks, I think.

How's Walter been feeling?

Fine.

Would you excuse me?
I want to wash my hands.

I just changed the ribbon
on my typewriter.

Oh, yes, and, uh,
Mrs. Lumis,

by the way, has she got rid
of her arthritis?

Well, yes. Of course,
I don't see her very often.

Excuse me, please.
Young lady,

I think you'd better
stay right here.

There's something
distinctly fishy going on.

I don't believe
you work here at all.
That's ridiculous.

For one thing
you've been acting very
strangely and for another,

Mrs. Lumis never had
arthritis in her life.

Now sit down in
that chair over there.

Go on.

See here,
the South African Diamond
Company's just been robbed,

a young woman.
Get the police.

Yes, sir, right away.

Hello, operator?
This is an emergency.

Get me the police.

[SIRENS WAILING]

Can you hold it a moment,
Miss Street?
I think she just came in.

Are you from
the Mosher agency?

What?

Did Miss Mosher send you over
to do some typing?

Yes. Yes, she did.

Yes, she just came in.

Shall I send her in to
do some work in your office?

DELLA: That's a good idea.

How's it coming?

Fine.

Oh, these are very nice,
Miss, uh...

Wallis.

I'll have to make
a note of that in case
I want to get you next time.

You let a dangling
participle get by.

You undangle it.

[KNOCK ON DOOR]

I'll get it.

Hi, beautiful.
How do you like
all the excitement?

Excitement?
What excitement?

Well, there have been cops
over the whole building
all afternoon.

The diamond company
on the next floor

was robbed
during lunchtime.

Somebody walked in
and discovered this gal
taking the place apart.

And they have
a description of her?

Yeah, she's a blonde,
about 5'3"

and she was wearing
harlequin glasses.

She was also wearing
a beige suit.

Did she, uh,
did she get away?

Well, that's the funny thing.

They sealed the building
like a tomb a minute
after it happened.

She just disappeared.

Hello, Miss Mosher?

This is Della Street,
Perry Mason's office.

Did you send a girl
over here this afternoon?

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Well?

It seems a girl from here
called this afternoon

and told Miss Mosher
to cancel our request.

Gertie's gone.

It's 7:00.
No wonder everyone's gone.

No reason to stop
in the middle of a sentence.

Well, she left these.

I guess she wouldn't take
a chance wearing them.

Paul, if that girl
ran out of here just now,

she might have taken
a nearby cab.

You check the cab dispatcher.
I'll check the South African
Diamond Company.

[DOOR CLOSING]

Thank you, Barney.

Come in, sir.

My name is Mason.

I have offices
on the floor below.

Oh, how do you do?
I'm Walter Lumis.

I was so sorry
to hear about the robbery.

Well,
that's jolly decent of you,

but I'm afraid
that's the least
of our worries at the moment.

You see, we hadn't
received our stock.

And a chap called Baxter,
he's one of the partners,

he brought our stones
from Africa today,

but we missed him
at the airport.

Well,
he must have arrived here

just about the time that girl
was ransacking the place.

He alerted the elevator man,

gave a full description
of our young lady Raffles

to the police
and then vanished himself.

Vanished?

Yes. We phoned in here
from the airport.

Baxter was here
at the time with the police.

Well, I realized that
when I got back here,

I'd be tied up
for a while with inventory,

so I told him
to go on to the place

that the firm had rented
for him on Ventana Drive.

And he isn't there now?

Well, I've been ringing him
since 6:00

and I can't seem
to get any reply.

Sergeant, who's standing by
at the Ventana Drive house?

SERGEANT: Jim Baker.

Well, you tell him that
Baxter won't be home anymore.

They just fished him
out of the ocean.

Are you sure this statement of
yours is correct, Mr. Gilly?

Oh, yes, sir,
absolutely correct.

[INTERCOM BUZZES]

Yeah?

MAN: The lineup
is ready, Lieutenant.
They're just waiting for you.

Right.

All right,
you come along with me.

All right, Gilly, take a look
at the men up there.

One fits the description
you gave

and he owns
the kind of car you saw.

Now, you tell us
if you recognize him.

Well?

Uh, yeah.

Mmm-hmm.

I see him.

That's the one.

The man on the end.

Will you come in, Mr. Lumis?
Oh, thank you.

Mason,
have you had a cablegram

from my company
in South Africa?

Retaining you to defend
Duane Jefferson?

Yes.

Well, just what is the fee?

$5000.

I see.

Because
if you want my opinion,

the whole thing
is absolutely ridiculous.

Jefferson has been
a trusted employee

of the firm for
at least 10 years.

Now during that time,
millions of dollars

worth of diamonds
must have passed
through his hands.

I assume from
what you're saying that

the diamonds Baxter brought
have not been recovered.

No, they have not.
Is there anything I can do?

Yes.

Make out a check for $5000.
My secretary will give you
a receipt.

Della,
have the receipt show

that the retainer is
on behalf of Duane Jefferson.

Well,
just what does that mean?

Well, if I'm going to
defend an individual,

I want my entire loyalty
to be to that individual
and not a corporation.

Any objections?

No, no, not at all.
I just wanted my own
position made clear.

I'll have the check
with you within the hour.

Thanks.

Well, I'm afraid there's
not much I can tell you.

Police showed up
in the dead of night

and the next thing
I knew I was on stage

and a voice behind
the lights was shouting,
"That's the man who did it."

And the witness claims

he saw you roll a body
off the Santa Monica pier
last night.

Man ought to be examined.
He's mad as a hatter.

All right.

What did you do last night?

Take it from the time
you left Lumis at the airport.

Well,
I had a dinner engagement.

Lumis said he'd deal with
the police, so I went home.

I have a flat in Beverly.

And what time was this
dinner engagement?

About 7:00 p.m.

What time did you return
from it?

After midnight.

Who did you have dinner with?

A friend.

Who's the friend?

Well, really, old man,
I'd sooner not discuss
the matter.

Trying to shield someone?

All right then.

I was with a certain lady.

And that's
all there is to say,
if you see what I mean.

I have to remind you,
Mr. Jefferson,

that you're charged
with first degree m*rder.

I'd hardly be here
otherwise, would I?

You know, I've taken
your case, Mr. Jefferson.

That doesn't mean
I can't give it back.

Well, I fail to see
what you're worried about.

After all, they may have
the word of an old wharf rat,

but isn't my word
as good as his?

There's nothing more
you wish to add to that?
Just that I'm innocent.

Well, I hope that's
enough to convince a jury.

We've just got to
find that girl.

Do you think she's the one
that Jefferson's protecting?

There's no one else
on the horizon.

[KNOCK ON DOOR]

What's this?
My bill.

Well, it isn't the first...
Della.

That's just Paul's
subtle way of telling us

he found the terrified typist,
right?

Right.
Who is she?

Mrs. Ralph Taylor.

Senator Taylor's wife?

That's the one.

Paul, you're out of your
ever-loving mind.

Uh-huh.
Well, Della pegged it.

The clothes were bought
at Littauers and charged
to Mrs. Taylor's account.

I tell you, she is
Senator Ralph Taylor's wife.

Well, time tested
way of finding out.

Let's go. Excuse me.

[BIRDS CHIRPING]

"Duane Jefferson,
a diamond buyer residing
at 3915 Quantico Street,

"was arrested last night
for the m*rder

"of his business
associate, George Baxter."

Perhaps these will help.

Who are you?

What are you doing here?
This is private property.

So is the diamond company
office.

My name is Mason.

This is Mr. Paul Drake,
my private investigator.

You're going to
have me arrested?

I don't know yet.

I still haven't
heard your story.

Well, you won't believe me.

But it all started
when I was sending packages
to allied prisons in Korea.

There was this one man,

he was a captain in
the South African Air Force.

He kept on writing to me.

Were you married
to Senator Taylor
at that time?

No.

As a matter of fact,
I had just been hired
as his private secretary.

At that time,
I thought he was
a pompous, old stuffed shirt.

So I drew
ridiculous cartoons of him
and wrote ridiculous letters

and sent it to
this air force captain.

What was the captain's name?

Duane Jefferson.

Later on I found out how wrong
I was about Mr. Taylor.

He's a dear, kind
and wonderful man,
Mr. Mason,

and I love him more than
anything in the world

and I'd do anything
to keep from hurting him.

So you wrote to Jefferson
asking him to return
the letters and cartoons

and he refused?

Did Jefferson
have a reason

for not returning
those letters?

Yes. I didn't have
any money to give him.

My husband's a rich man,

but I certainly don't
have access to his money
indiscriminately.

That's why I took
Mr. Jefferson's keys
and went into his office.

What do you plan to do next?

Nothing.

If you don't turn me over
to the police, Mr. Mason,

I promise that I will stay as
far away from Duane Jefferson
as possible.

I may call on you again,
Mrs. Taylor.

Oh, by the way, Paul.

What's that?

The key
to Mr. Jefferson's apartment.

Where did you get it?

From Mr. Jefferson.

When the police picked him up,
they didn't give him a chance

to get a decent
suit of clothes.

I won't be able to get there
till tonight.

That's all right.

Of course,
while you're there,

if you want to
take a look around,

that's a matter between
you and your conscience.

[GASPS]

When you told me your story
this afternoon, Mrs. Taylor,

I was inclined
to believe all of it.

Now I've a feeling that
it was all a pack of lies.

But it isn't.
It's true.

Here are the pictures
I found in the apartment.

Do you recognize
the woman in this picture?

Never seen her
before in my life.

All right, then.
Do you recognize this?

I don't understand this.
I've never had a picture
taken with Duane Jefferson.

I don't know when
it could have been taken.

Was it taken on
the night of the m*rder?

Of course it wasn't.

How can you be so sure?
You didn't even know
it existed.

What difference does it make?
You don't believe me anyway.

That's right, I don't.

Well, what do you
want me to tell you?

I just want you
to tell me the facts.

Very well then.
Let me tell you.

You're a young woman
who's married to a man
a good deal older than you.

In order to
avoid being bored,

you decided
to indulge yourself

and now in attempting to keep
your indiscretion covered up,

you're willing
to let a man die.

That is not true.
I would never do
anything like that.

Remember one thing,
Mrs. Taylor,

your husband could
possibly excuse you

for being out with another man
on the night of the m*rder,

but in the case
of Mr. Jefferson

there's no going back
if he loses.

All right, Mr. Mason.

You want me to testify
to the truth?

I will.

Who are you calling?

Hamilton Burger,
the district attorney.

Gentlemen, the jury
has been selected and sworn.

The prosecution will proceed
with its opening statement.

Your Honor.

Ladies and gentlemen
of the jury.

The state intends to prove

that the defendant
in this case,

an employee of the
South African Diamond Company,

had reason to learn that
a director of that company,
George Baxter by name,

was coming to this country
with a large number
of diamonds,

worth approximately
half a million dollars.

That the defendant
subsequently m*rder*d
George Baxter

in order to gain possession
of those diamonds.

We will introduce witnesses

to prove that this m*rder
was done with premeditation,

deliberation
and with diabolical cunning.

And on the strength
of our evidence,

we will ask for a verdict
of first degree m*rder
and for the death penalty.

Mr. Gilly, can you tell us
where you were on the night
of June 5th at about 10:00?

I was in a row boat,
fishing, right near the pier.

Were you close enough
to the pier so that you
could see what happened on it?

Oh, yes,
only about 35 feet.

In your own words then,
will you tell us what you saw?

Well, I saw a man
up on the pier

roll a body off and then
he kicked something after it.

Just a moment, Mr. Gilly.

How do you know it was a body
that he rolled off the pier?

Well, because it had arms
and legs and it looked
like a body.

Well, let's for the moment
assume that you saw a man
roll something off the pier

that looked like a body.

Okay, if that's
the way you want it.

Did you subsequently
notify the police?

And did they recover
a body from the water
in your presence?

Yes, sir.

Now about this object that you
saw the man kick off the pier,

what did you do about that?

Well, I rowed over
and fished it out.

Is that what you mean?

If that's what you mean,
that's what I mean.

Can you tell us what it was?

Yes, it was a hat.
A derby hat.

Did you examine it?
Yes, sir.

Well, not right then.
When I got back to
my boathouse, I did.

It had the name
George Baxter

in gold letters
on the sweatband.

Mr. Gilly, I show you this hat
and ask if you've ever seen
it before.

That's the hat that
I fished out of the water.

If it please the court,
I would like this hat
marked for identification.

Now, Mr. Gilly,

could you see
the man on the pier?

Oh, yes.

Clearly enough so you
could make an accurate
identification of him

if you saw him again?

Oh, yes.
As a matter of fact,
I did that already.

And is that man
in this court now?

Yes, sir.
He's the fellow on trial.

Let the record show
that the witness

is pointing to the defendant,
Duane Jefferson.

Thank you, Mr. Gilly.
You may cross-examine.

Now, Mr. Gilly,

you said you did not examine
the hat at the time
you recovered it.

No, I waited till I got
back to my boathouse.

What made you do that?
I mean, why didn't you
examine the hat immediately?

Well, I wanted to get it
in the light, that's why.

Then, while it wasn't
light enough to see a hat
you were holding in your hand,

you could see
what was going on


I object, Your Honor.

That question is incompetent,
irrelevant and immaterial.

It's also argumentative
and not proper
cross-examination.

No matter what the light was,

reading a name inside a hat
is obviously much different
from seeing a man on a car.

I think Mr. Mason's question

is permissible
on cross-examination.

Objection overruled.

Now, Mr. Gilly,
will you answer
the question?

Well, like I said,
I could see him almost
as plain as I can from here.

No further questions.

And when you recovered
the body of George Baxter
from the water,

did you find that
it had been weighted down?

Yes, with a cement
building block.

Can you identify this,
Lieutenant?

Yes, sir.

It's the building block
used to weight down the body.

Is there anything
distinctive about this
particular building block?

Well, yes, sir.
One of the corners is missing.

Do you recognize
this piece of cement?

Yes, sir and you will notice
that this broken corner

will fit perfectly
on the cement block.

And also, there's blood
on that broken corner.

Now, you heard
Dr. Walder testify

that the blood
on this piece of cement

matches the blood type
of the deceased?

Yes, sir.
And where did you find
this piece of cement?

In the trunk
of Duane Jefferson's car
on the night of the m*rder.

Thank you, Lieutenant.

Your witness.

No questions.

You may step down, Lieutenant.

I call Joseph Henrich
to the stand, please.

Mr. Joseph Henrich,
take the stand, please.

Raise your right hand,
please.

Who is he? Do you know?

[BAILIFF CHATTERING]
Never heard the name
or seen the man in my life.

I do.

State your name, please.
Joseph Henrich.

Be seated.

Mr. Henrich,

would you please
tell this court
where you reside?

I reside
at 400 Ventana Drive.

Do you also work there?

Yes, sir. My wife and I
are domestic workers
in the house.

Is it true that
this house where you work

was rented
to Mr. George Baxter?

That is right.

Our regular employers
rented the house
to Mr. Baxter,

but my wife and I
stayed with the house.

On the fifth of June,
were you at the house?

Yes. That was the day
when Mr. Baxter arrived.

I stayed with him in the house
until about 6:30.

Then I went out
to polish my car.

Did anyone else come
to the house that day?

Yes, sir.

At about 7:00,

it was getting dark by then,

I heard a car pull up,
so I went to look.

It was that man.

You mean the defendant?

Yes. He came
and went in the house.

Now, to the best
of your knowledge,

Mr. Jefferson and Mr. Baxter
were the only ones
in the house?

Yeah, that's all.

Could you tell us
what happened after that?

A short while later,
I heard loud voices.

They were both arguing.

Then I heard
Mr. Baxter shout,

"Don't be a fool.

"You'll never
get away with it."

Then I heard a sound
like a groan.

Then it was all quiet.

What did you do after that?

I was getting
very worried,

so I went to talk
to my wife about it.

She told me
not to interfere.

At about 8:00
we heard sirens
and the police arrived.

Did you then enter
the house with the police?

Yes, sir.
And was Mr. Baxter there?

No, sir.
Thank you, Mr. Henrich.
That's all.

Your witness.

Mr. Henrich, you talked
about living in the house

at 400 Ventana Drive.

Specifically, do you
mean that you live
in the house itself

or somewhere
near the house?

No, sir. My wife and I
don't live in the house.

We have an apartment
over the garage.

Now, you stated
on direct examination
that after the argument

and after the time
you heard the groan,

when the following
silence took place,

you went to discuss
the matter with your wife.

Now, where was your wife
at that time?

She was in our apartment.

And when you were in your
apartment over the garage,

is it possible
for people to leave
or enter the main house

without your hearing it?

Yes, sir.
That time, it is possible.

I assume
that it's also possible

for something to happen
inside the house

that you don't hear?

Oh, naturally, sir.

However, you heard
the argument and the groan

while you were outside?

Yes, sir.

And you were worried
about what had happened?

Well, yes, sir.

But you did not go inside
the main house at that time?

No, not until
the police arrived at 8:00.

So you cannot swear
from your own knowledge

that anything did happen

which would have resulted
in the death of George Baxter

at the hands
of Duane Jefferson?

No, I cannot swear that.

Thank you, Mr. Henrich.
That is all.

You may step down,
Mr. Henrich.

That concludes the case
for the state, Your Honor.
The prosecution rests.

Does the defense wish
to make a motion?

Yes, Your Honor.

At this time, I move that
the court instruct the jury

to bring in a verdict
of not guilty

on the ground that
the evidence as at present

before the court
is not sufficient

to support
a verdict of guilty.

The motion is denied.

Are you ready with
your first witness,
Mr. Mason?

The defense is ready,
Your Honor.

I call the defendant,
Duane Jefferson.

BAILIFF:
Mr. Duane Jefferson,
take the stand, please.

Raise your right hand,
please.

Do you solemnly
swear the testimony
you're about to give

in the cause now
pending in this court

to be the truth,
the whole truth?
I do.

State your name.
Duane Jefferson.

Be seated.

Now, Mr. Jefferson,
will you also state
where you were born?

South Africa.

And are you
at this moment,

a citizen of the Union
of South Africa?

I am.

Mr. Jefferson,

you've heard
the prosecution
introduce witnesses

from whose testimony
this jury is expected
to draw the inference

that you were
criminally responsible

for the death
of George Baxter.

Now is there anything
you can say

that will contradict
that testimony?

I can only say that
it's completely false
and that I am innocent.

Do you have any facts that
will support that statement?

Well, for one thing,
I spent the entire evening

in the company
of another person.

This other person,
was it a man or a woman?

A lady.

Could you tell us
what time you met
this lady?

About 7:00 p.m.
At the Toreador
for cocktails.

How long would it take you
to get from the Toreador
to 400 Ventana Drive?

At least an hour.

And what time did
you leave the lady?

A little after midnight.

Now, Mr. Jefferson,

would you please tell
this jury

the name of the lady?

You know very well,
Mr. Mason,

I can't tell this jury
or anybody else
the name of the lady.

Why?

Simply because it
would be ungentlemanly
and completely improper.

Can you give us the reason?

Because the lady
happens to be married.

And you are refusing
to disclose her identity,

knowing full well
your life is in jeopardy?

I'm afraid
there's no alternative.

Mr. Jefferson,

are you well acquainted
with a lady
named Patricia Taylor?

I object, Your Honor.

Defense counsel
can create a situation

tantamount to
criminal slander

by insinuating
with any name at random.

Just a moment, Mr. Burger.

I agree completely with
the prosecutor's feelings
on this matter, Mr. Mason.

I beg the court's indulgence
in permitting me to perform
my duty as a defense attorney.

If I'm permitted
to speak my mind,

may I say that I agree
completely with Mr. Burger?

If it please the court,

I don't need any support
or agreement

from the defendant
in this case.

Order, gentlemen, order.
This matter is getting
completely out of hand.

I will allow
Mr. Mason to continue.

But I warn you, Counselor,
of the direct consequences

if you fail to connect
this name in your case.

Your Honor.

Now Mr. Jefferson,

I ask you once again,

do you know Patricia Taylor?

I am acquainted
with Mrs. Taylor.

And will you now state
that she was the lady
in your company

on the night of the m*rder?

I have told you repeatedly,
Mr. Mason,

I was with a certain lady

and that's all
there is to say.

Your witness, Mr. Burger.

Mr. Jefferson,

am I correct in assuming
that you're presenting
yourself here as

an example of the last
stronghold of chivalry,

sort of a modern Sir Galahad?

I am simply
withholding information
I have no right to reveal.

Well, then will you state
for us flatly, here and now,

that Mrs. Patricia Taylor
was not your companion
of the evening

on the night of the m*rder?

I can only tell you that
I will not name the lady.

And while you pretend
to protect the lady
who shall be nameless,

you're willing to
vilify and besmirch
Mrs. Patricia Taylor.

I think we can use less
gentlemen like you, sir.

No more questions.

You may step down.

Will you call
your next witness, Mr. Mason?

Your Honor...

Your Honor, I call

Mrs. Patricia Taylor
to the stand.

Please!
Mr. Mason, you can't do this.

I forbid it.

Your Honor, I object
to this obvious attempt
on the part of the defendant

to win the sympathy
of the jury.

The defendant will sit down.

Sit down, sir!

And you will refrain from
these prejudicial outbursts.

Call the next witness.

Mrs. Taylor,

are you acquainted
with the defendant
in this case?

I am.

Did you have certain
correspondence with him

while he was still
in South Africa?

Yes.

Would you say
this correspondence
was of a friendly nature?

Up to a point.

Would you tell us
what that point was?

Well, he refused to
send back some letters
that I'd written to him.

Did you then illegally enter
his office and apartment

in order to recover
those letters?

Yes.

You heard
Mr. Jefferson testify

that on the night
of the m*rder,

he spent
the evening with a woman.

A woman he refused to name.

Were you that woman,
Mrs. Taylor?

Yes.

I was with him
for about 15 minutes,

but there was nothing
romantic between us.

I despise the ground
he walks on

and I had the pleasure
of telling him so.

No further questions.

Just a moment, Mrs. Taylor.

I appreciate Mr. Mason's
kindness and consideration,

but unfortunately
he didn't go far enough.

Let's talk about the letters
the defendant sent you.

Were they completely
gentlemanly?

I object, Your Honor,
on the grounds of
best evidence.

If Mr. Mason is calling
for the letters,
I have them right here.

And if counsel will stipulate

that these are in
the handwriting
of the defendant,

I will introduce them
in evidence now.

May I see the letters?

First stipulate.

I assure you in open court

that I know from statements
of unimpeachable witnesses,

that these letters
are in the handwriting
of the defendant.

Very well, I'll stipulate,

upon that assurance
of the district attorney.

I enter them in evidence.

Mrs. Taylor,

with regard to the letters
and other items

that you sent
to the defendant,

did you write and ask him
to return them?

Yes.

I call your attention now
to this particular letter,

which the defendant sent you.

I quote you from
the third paragraph,

"There will be some
delay in returning
the cartoons by mail

"as you have
been requesting.

"My reason,
I should like nothing better

"than the prospect
of returning them
to you personally.

"This, I think and hope,

"will take place
in the very near future."

End of quote.

Did you receive this letter?
Yes.

Did you subsequently
meet the defendant?
Yes.

Did he return the letters
and cartoons to you
at that time?

No.

Did he give you any reason for
his withholding them further?

He said he could use them
against my husband.

Could use them
or would use them?

He could,
unless I prevented it.

What were you supposed
to do to prevent it?

Give him money.

Well, that's blackmail,
pure and simple, isn't it?

I suppose it is.

Now on the night
of the m*rder,

you admitted that
you went to meet him

and did meet him.
Yes.

What time
was the appointment?



And what time did you arrive?


What time did
the defendant arrive?


And when did you leave him?


Then if, as the defendant
himself has testified,

it takes him an hour to drive
from the Toreador Cafe

to 400 Ventana Drive,

it would be perfectly possible
for him to have seen you
as he did

and still have
committed the m*rder.

Objection! That's calling for
a conclusion of the witness.

Sustained.

The facts in evidence indicate
that the body of the deceased

was in the trunk
of the defendant's car.

Could your presence
in his company

from 8:30 to 8:45
that evening

have possibly prevented
the defendant

from getting rid of the body
at 10:00 that night?

Objection!
That's being argumentative

and calling for an opinion
from the witness.

The asking of this question
and any further examination
along this line

is prejudicial
and I assign it as misconduct

on the part
of the district attorney.

Sustained.

The prosecution will refrain
from continuing with this line
of questioning.

Redirect, Mr. Mason.

Mrs. Taylor,

do you know
if the defendant had a meeting

with another married woman
after you left him,

a meeting which might have
kept him at the Toreador
until 10:00 or after?

If he did, he didn't tell me,
Mr. Mason.

Thank you. That's all.

You may step down,
Mrs. Taylor.

[KNOCK ON DOOR]

Come in, Paul.

The, uh, jury still out?

Yep.

Well, I regret to report
I still have not been able

to identify this woman
in the picture with Jefferson.

I still say I know
that woman from somewhere.

Here.
Look at these pictures.

Isn't that
the same man and woman

at the adjoining table
in both pictures?

Look at that hat.

I can't tell.

The faces are too small,
Perry.

I'm only saying
if it is the same
man and woman,

then both of these
pictures were taken

on the same night
at the same place.

The night of the m*rder.

Paul...

[PHONE RINGING]

Hello?

Oh, thank you.

The jury's ready to return
with the verdict.

Well, what's there
to do now, Perry?

I don't know.

Have these pictures blown up.
I'll see you in court.

Ladies and gentlemen
of the jury,

have you reached a verdict?

We have, Your Honor.

Will you state it, please?

We, the jury impaneled to
try the above entitled case,

find the defendant

guilty of m*rder
in the first degree.

I will convene
the jury tomorrow

for the purpose
of taking evidence

bearing upon the sentence
to be given the defendant.

Is that agreeable
with the defendant?

It is, Your Honor.

I will further
stipulate that Friday
will be satisfactory

for presenting
a motion for a new trial.

JUDGE: Mr. Burger?

Perfectly all right,
Your Honor.

Very well. So ordered.

The defendant is remanded
to custody of sheriff.

Court stands adjourned.

[PEOPLE CHATTERING]

Well, it's all
in the evening edition.

Jury fixes death penalty
for Perry Mason's client.

Mason to appear
in court Friday
on motion for new trial.

I know. I was there.

Why can't I remember
that face?

Have you heard
from Paul yet?

Not yet.

[INTERCOM BUZZING]

Yes, Gertie?

Mr. Lumis on the phone.

[KNOCK ON DOOR]

He can't talk to
anyone right now,
Gertie.

Here are the
blowups, Perry,
and you were right.

That couple in the background
is the same in both pictures.

Then it was
the same night.

Now if we could only think
who this woman was.

Wait a minute,
I've got it.

I saw this woman coming
out of the diamond office

when I went up there
to see Lumis.

Perry,
is there a Mrs. Lumis?

Let's find out.

Paul, you ready for
some night driving?

Sure.
Where are we driving to?

I'm not sure myself yet.

We'll keep in touch, Della.
Come on. Let's go.

Ah, Mason.

Hello, Lumis.
May I come in?

Yes, of course.

Would you excuse us for
a moment, please, my dear?

I'd like Mrs. Lumis to hear
what I have to say.

I told you in the beginning,
Lumis,

I'd use anything I could find
in defense of Duane Jefferson.

Well, you're not trying
to implicate me, are you?

Calm down, Walter.

Mr. Mason hasn't
accused you of anything.

I think he has something else
on his mind.

I have.

Unless I can establish
a 10:00 alibi for Jefferson,

the night he was supposed to
have gotten rid of the body,

I haven't a chance on
my motion for a new trial.

I've got to find the woman
he was with after Mrs. Taylor
left the Toreador.

But I've already told you

I have no idea
who the woman is.

Are you telling me
there's still a chance
to save Duane Jefferson?

It's not too late?

Yes, there's still a chance.

Walter, there are limits

beyond which a decent,
self-respecting person
cannot go.

Mr. Mason is being
very direct.

But what he implies
is quite true.

I'm sorry,
but I have been seeing Duane.

What?

I hoped to spare you,
Walter,

hoped that Duane
wouldn't need my testimony.

But after I heard
about the verdict,

I made up my mind.

I was coming to
see you anyway,
Mr. Mason.

I was with Duane Jefferson
the night of the m*rder,

up until midnight.

Are you willing to
take the witness stand
and testify to that?

Yes.

I know you'll never
regret it.

I'll be in your office
first thing in the morning.

You can count on that.

I'm sorry, Mr. Lumis,

truly sorry.

[DOOR OPENING]

[DOOR CLOSING]

How could you
do a thing like that?

You do want to save him,
don't you?

You might be risking
all our lives with this.

We're in the clear.
A couple more hours
and we'll be in Mexico

and all this rotten business
will be behind us.

That's right.
We'll be there.

But he'll be here.

Well, he asked for it,
didn't he?

When you and I went
into this together,

we didn't bargain
for blackmail or m*rder.

That was his idea.

And I think he's rather
got it coming to him.

If you're that afraid,

why don't you take off
for Mexico tonight?

I'll join you
there as soon as
I've cleared him.

Very well, I will.

If that's the way
you like it.

Walter.

You won't forget
that there's somebody else
you have to take with you?

I won't forget.

Don't worry.

How is he?
About the same.

Any trouble?

Trouble from him?

I hope you're ready
to take a long trip.

I want to get out of here.

Lie down. You're not
going anywhere yet.

Now, if you go quietly,

it may not be
too unpleasant a trip.

See who that is,
but be careful.

What do you want?

Don't put your hands
in your pocket, Lumis.

I don't think you have
to worry about Mr. Lumis.

[PEOPLE CHATTERING]

This is the time fixed
for hearing a motion
for a new trial

and for pronouncing judgment
in the case of people
against Duane Jefferson.

Do you wish to be heard,
Mr. Mason?

Yes, Your Honor.

Will Mr. Duane Jefferson
please stand?

Come forward, please.

Wait a minute.
Let's get this straight.

Here's the defendant
standing within the bar.

But Duane Jefferson
is standing here.

I'm moving
for a new trial

on the ground that
the entire trial

of Duane Jefferson
for first-degree m*rder

took place in his absence.

Your Honor, defense counsel
can't confuse the issues
like this.

It doesn't make any
difference now

whether this is
Duane Jefferson
or John Doe.

He's the man who
committed the m*rder.

He's the man who was
tried for the m*rder.

And whether
he uses the name
of Duane Jefferson

or any other name
that's not his own,

he's the man that's
going to be sentenced
for the m*rder.

But you introduced evidence

directed against
the real Mr. Jefferson,

and letters written
by the real Mr. Jefferson
were part of that evidence.

What about it?

Well, it's false evidence.

It was admitted only
on your assurance
it was true.

Now, just a moment,
Mr. Mason.

The court's going to require
that you make a full
explanation of this matter.

Of course, Your Honor.

Your Honor,
the man standing here

is the real Mr. Jefferson.

He was sent to
this country together

with Walter Lumis
to open a branch

of the South African
Diamond Company.

Then who is that man
standing at the defense table?

MASON: His name
is James Kincaid.

He conspired
with Walter Lumis
to take the place

of the real Mr. Jefferson.

For what purpose?

For the purpose
of absconding

with $500,000
worth of diamonds,

which were brought
to this country

by the deceased,
George Baxter.

Lumis planned to accept
delivery of the diamonds

from Mr. Baxter and then
disappear in Mexico.

When Mr. Jefferson refused
to go along with his scheme,

why, Lumis then recruited
James Kincaid.

And he then
replaced Jefferson?

That's right, Your Honor.

Almost immediately,
Baxter realized
something was wrong,

refused to hand
over the diamonds.

So Kincaid then
disposed of Mr. Baxter.

Your Honor, this is
just another wild-eyed,

dramatic, grandstand play

for which counsel
is so noted.

Now, just a moment, gentlemen.

Before I make any ruling,

I suggest that court take
an adjournment for 15 minutes

while I ask counsel
for both sides
to meet in chambers.

The defendant, meantime,
is in custody.

He will remain in custody.
Stand adjourned.

[PEOPLE CHATTERING]

I can't get over it.

Poor Burger, all that work

and now Judge Hartley
orders a new trial.

Well, he'll still wind up
a hero

if he doesn't forget to try
the phony Duane Jefferson

under his right name
of James Kincaid.

He and Tragg
are celebrating tonight.

I wonder
why they didn't invite us.

Isn't this nice?

What's that, Della?

It's a wire from
Senator Ralph Taylor

thanking you for not exposing
those cartoons in court.

Hmm.

Fortunately,
we were able to
clear up the case

without using them.

Speaking of
clearing things up,

why was Burger so sure
of Jefferson's handwriting?

Well,
simply because he had

Pat Taylor's
innocent assurance

that those letters
had been written
to her by Jefferson.

Neither Pat nor Burger
had any inkling

that the defendant wasn't
the real Duane Jefferson.

Now I have a question.

Why didn't
Mrs. Lumis join in
that phony alibi right away?

Her husband was afraid
that if she did,

the whole thing
would be exposed.

And of course,
that's why Kincaid held out.

He really believed
the jury would go

for that gallant
routine of his.

Well, I hope
you'll both be gallant

when we have dinner
with them tonight.

Dinner?
Dinner with whom,
Burger and Tragg?

No, with Senator
and Mrs. Ralph Taylor

and the real
Duane Jefferson.

It's right here
in the wire.

Well, read it to us, Della,
read it.

Oh, no.

Della has been
the detective
on this one.

Here. You read it.

"I wish to thank you

"for not exposing those
cartoons in court, stop.

"Pat and I would like you
to come to dinner tonight..."

That's enough.

Now, would you like to
take a couple of notes?