09x11 - The Case of the Silent Six

[bunniefuu]

[CLASSICAL MUSIC PLAYING
OVER SPEAKERS]

[SUSAN SCREAMING]

[GASPS]

[INCREASES VOLUME]

[SUSAN SCREAMING]

Help! Somebody, please, help me!

[MUFFLED SCREAMING]

[SUSAN SCREAMING]

SUSAN:
Help!

[SUSAN SCREAMING]

[PHONE RINGS]

Dave, let me go in. Make it official.

I'll handle it. She's my sister.

That's what I'm afraid of.
I don't want you using your badge.

With me it's impersonal.
We've had a complaint--

I've had a complaint,
and this isn't the first time.

And if Oliver as much
as says good morning to her again,

he's in for trouble.

Dave!

[SUSAN SCREAMING]

[SUSAN PANTING]

Oh, Dave.

[GRUNTS]

Susan.

Susan.

No. No, don't.

[g*nsh*t]

[g*nf*re]

MAN: How's about the girl, lieutenant?
She gonna live?

Did, uh, your sister make
any kind of statement, sergeant?

Did any of her boyfriends ever try
to rough her up before?

Did you know your sister
was playing patty-cake

- with a married man?
- Why, you foul-minded--

OFFICER:
Come on, will you? Let go.

Come on, Dave.

MAN:
Guy's off his rocker.

I'm sorry, but I won't agree
to another postponement.

All right, we'll meet you
tomorrow morning at .

Look, Herb,
this precedent simply doesn't apply.

But, Mr. Mason,
the plaintiff in our case

suffered psychic damage.

And I can't find anything
later than .

Excuse me, Perry, but, uh,
Mrs. Bronstone is on the phone again.

Ask her to call tomorrow.

Herb, I'm trying to find
more amm*nit*on to establish liability.

[PHONE RINGS]

Now, let me check this over.

Perry Mason's office.

Just one minute, please. Perry.

Judge Marino, line two.

Yes, judge?

Well, I'm running a little late.

Give me minutes.
They're holding a table for us.

See you, then.

[PHONE BUZZES]

Della.

Herb, there's the case
of Walters v. Smith

where the award was based
on similar negligence.

I'll get right on it.
I'll meet you in court at : .

Thanks, Mr. Mason.

DELLA: Mr. Mason will call you
first thing in the morning.

Right, thank you.

Perry, I'd like to talk to you
about the Bakersfield case.

Uh, will it hold till after lunch, Paul?
Judge Marino's waiting.

Sure it will.

- Perry, Steve Drumm is here.
- Did he say what he wants?

[PHONE BUZZES]

Oh, excuse me.

Yes, Gertie?

Tell them the papers went to court
this morning.

Right.

He seemed very upset
about something.

I told him to wait in the library.

I forgot to ask you about the suggested
instructions to the jury

that you're preparing for submittal
to Judge Warner.

Excuse me, Herb, not now.
I'll get to that this evening.

- What about Steve?
- Well, I'll see him now.

That's the one course I didn't get
in law school,

- how to avoid ulcers.
- Ha, ha.

Perry, I can't help Dave Wolfe.

I've been assigned to investigate.

Well, Steve,
why don't you ask to be relieved?

Well, that would make it
a lot easier for me. Let's see now,

Dave's been with the force nine years,
six with Homicide.

If I were to ask out, then, uh, who
would they stick with the assignment?

So it's your job
to hang your best friend?

My job,
I'm not supposed to have any friends.

Oh, of course not.

Perry, will you defend him?

Steve, I don't see how I can
possibly take on something else

at the present time.

Perry, I've made it a rule
never to ask any favors

nor to give any,

but Dave Wolfe's gonna need
the best defense he can get,

and I'm gonna see that he gets it.

PERRY:
"As the b*llet-torn body of Joe Oliver

was moved to the ambulance,
Sergeant Wolfe said:

He had it coming

Somebody just saved me
the trouble.”

They'll eat him alive, Perry,

and have the rest of the force
for dessert.

Well, it's certainly obvious

that Sergeant Wolfe isn't making it
any easier on himself.

Then talk to him, Perry.
Tell him to keep his mouth shut.

Do you believe
Dave k*lled that man?

Well, this is what I know.

Dave was overprotective
as far as his sister was concerned.

He raised the roof when she insisted
upon her own apartment.

Now, when I dropped him off,
he was boiling mad

because Oliver
had made a pass at her.

What kind of officer was he
before this happened?

Decorated twice. Straight,
dependable, hot-tempered, but fair.

He just suddenly fell apart.

That's right.

Now, you take the way
he fired that g*n.

All men are trained
to fire in series of three sh*ts.

That's drilled in until it's instinct.

He unloaded all six chambers
at once,

point blank, at an unarmed man,
not to stop but to k*ll.

Wrong, Perry, wrong on all counts.

But you think he did it.

It's my job to prove he did.

I'm asking you to prove I'm wrong.

Why is everybody so concerned
about Oliver?

He b*at up my sister.
Did you see her?

Why does he get all the sympathy?

She's in the hospital,
but nobody wants to talk about that.

Nobody wants to listen to that.

Dave, every word you say
is being used against you.

The newspapers are vehement,
and the public is paying attention.

Naturally. I'm a cop.

Didn't you know,
this is get-a-cop week?

MASON:
You're a what?

A cop.

Then use your head
and start acting like one.

- Well, what's that supposed to mean?
- You haven't used your head

since you rushed into that room
and got hit from behind.

The greenest rookie on the force
knows better

than to enter a room that way.

- Well, Susan was screaming.
- All right, that's past.

Now start putting nine years of training
and experience to work.

What is it you wanna know?

You want me to enter a plea
of justifiable homicide?

Justifiable homicide?

Or involuntary manslaughter?

A police officer in the line of duty

k*lling a man
who was b*ating a woman?

I didn't k*ll him.
How many times do I have to say it?

I never fired that g*n.

Then who did?

Heh. I don't know, I told you.

If you want me to help you,

you're gonna have to do better
than that.

Very slowly, Dave,
start reconstructing.

I want you to remember

every movement, every word,
every sound and smell

from the time you entered that building
until you were arrested.

Make it the best job of police reporting
you've ever done.

How soon can I see my sister?

We've checked with the hospital
an hour ago.

Susan's still unconscious.

You know what really gets me?

There were four people at home
in their apartments,

and not one of them lifted a finger
to help her.

Well, perhaps the man or woman
who sh*t Oliver

was trying to help Susan.

Maybe they had a better reason
to k*ll Joe Oliver.

So far, Dave,

the only one I know who had a reason
was you.

Ah, Steve.

Hi, Susan.

They're pretty.

This is a friend of mine,
Perry Mason.

Hello, Susan.

Where's Dave?

He'll be here as soon as he can.

Tell him I'm sorry.

I should have told him
about the phone calls.

Phone calls?

I didn't want him to worry.

I should have told him.

What phone calls, Susan?

Monk said he was dangerous.

Warned me for my own good.

Well, that's all right, Susan.

He won't bother you anymore.

Where is he?

He's, uh, dead.

Hamp Fisher is dead?

MASON:
No, Susan.

Joe Oliver is dead.

No. No, not Joe Oliver.

Who was it then?

I can't tell.

Swore to Hamp,

I wouldn't.

Dave lied to you and to me.

- Who's Hamp Fisher?
- I don't know yet.

But if Susan's rational
and if I understand her,

he's the one
that gave her that b*ating,

and that pretty well explains
why Dave made up that story.

I don't follow.

Dave went up to that apartment
steaming mad,

determined to get Oliver.

It was Oliver's bad luck
to be on the scene.

Dave saw red, fired,

and then he realized

he'd k*lled the wrong man.
And that, my friend,

is what the newspapers call
a trigger-happy cop,

and the DA calls
second degree m*rder.

We have at least three stories now,
Paul.

Steve Drumm's, Susan Wolfe's
and Dave's.

Make that four stories.

There's also Hamp Fisher's.
The police have him on the griddle,

and his lawyer's down there
screaming cover up

and, uh, broadsiding the papers
with a story

about how the cops
protect their own.

Della,
would you please call Homicide?

Ask them
if they'll let me see Hamp Fisher?

DELLA [OVER INTERCOM]:
Will do.

You know, Dave is sticking to his story.
He saw no one else.

He was hit, and when he came to,

Oliver was dead.

But Perry,
suppose Susan's telling the truth.

Then your client was trigger-happy
and knocked off the wrong man.

Well, Hamp Fisher might save us
a lot of trouble.

By admitting he b*at up a girl,

struck an officer
and k*lled a bystander? Uh-uh.

And besides,

if Oliver wasn't attacking Susan,

what was he doing there,
and why was he k*lled?

I wonder what version we'll get

from the witnesses
at the apartment house.

Well, the police are still stymied.

The witnesses are all but mute.

The girl was screaming,
they heard sh*ts,

and Oliver was dead.

Did they say why they just sat there
doing nothing

while that girl screamed for help?

They all had the same answer.

They didn't want to get involved.

Perry, the police
just released Hampton Fisher on bail.

Look,

[SOFT JAZZ MUSIC
PLAYING OVER SPEAKERS]

I'll tell you the same thing
I told them downtown.

I was, like, miles away
from the chick's pad last night.

And you, of course,
have the witnesses to prove it.

[HAMP SIGHS]

Me and Monk Coleman
were riding around the strip,

catching a few combos.

Do I look like the kind of guy
that would con you, friend?

You're not gonna pin this on me
to get that cop off the hook.

Mr. Fisher, I'm gonna presume
that you're telling us the truth

and that you told the police the truth.

But that means,
Susan Wolfe is lying.

Now, why would she do that?

Beats me.

Maybe she's trying
to protect some guy.

Maybe, uh, she has it in for me.
I can't figure the kooky chick out.

PAUL:
You do know Susan Wolfe, don't you?

Like I know ten dozen other birds.

But not well enough
to slap her around.

How well do you have to know them
for that?

MASON:
Has, uh, Susan ever been here?

Yeah, a few times.

Not in, maybe,
the last couple of weeks, though.

The manager told her to cool it
the last time she was in.

Why? Did she give him reason
to ask her to leave?

She made the scene with some creep
from that apartment joint she lives in.

The creep made trouble

when one of the boys in the band
asked her to dance.

I mean, the creep was green jealous.
I don't know why.

I mean, you dance the Watusi,
nobody touches nobody, right?

- Do you know this, uh--
- Creep.

--Who objected to her dancing?

I don't know his name.
I've seen him around.

How about the man
he had the argument with?

He's in the lot polishing the car,
Monk Coleman.

- He's your friend?
- Alibi.

Thank you, Mr. Fisher.

If you don't mind,
I'll talk to Mr. Coleman.

Say, I'm not the kind of guy
that jumps to conclusions,

but, uh, I get the feeling
you don't like me.

No, I'm not the kind of guy
that passes out compliments.

But you've really got me figured.

Well, there was an argument, all right,
but don't get the idea

I was teed off with Susan.

It was that character she was with,
Ron, what's his name.

It wasn't the first time
I tangled with him

or the first time
he embarrassed Susan.

You had met him before, then?

I used to. I used to have a place
in the same building

where he and Susan
have apartments.

- Oh, I'm sorry.
- Heh, that's all right.

Paul Drake, this is Mr. Coleman.

- Hi.
- Hi. Just call me Monk.

What about the first time
you and this Ron

had an argument, Monk?

When I was living over there.

He made a big thing
over protecting her

from crummy musicians.

Sounded off one time when a couple
of us were having dinner.

I let it go.
Another time, he brought the manager.

- Joe Oliver?
MONK: Yes, sir.

Now, this Ron brought him over
to my apartment

and broke up the party
because Susan was there.

Well, I lost my temper
and I flattened him.

When was the last time you dropped
by Susan's apartment?

Now, look, Mr. Mason,

I know what you're getting at,
but you're wrong.

Last night I was with Hamp.

We were just driving around.

You're willing to swear in court

that you and Hamp Fisher
spent the whole night together?

If they call me, I'll tell the truth, sir.

Mr. Mason,

Susan's a sweet kid, decent.

I'm just as sick about her being b*at up
as you are.

- Is she hurt bad?
- Very bad.

I wish I could help.

You have helped, Monk.

You've helped a lot.

If that Ron character was so jealous

he objected to somebody
dancing with Susan,

why was he sitting on his hands
when somebody b*at her?

Suppose we ask him.

Well, what kept you?

Oh, we just didn't wanna get
in your way.

[DRUMM LAUGHS]

That'll be the day.

Any objection to our looking
at m*rder room?

DRUMM: Help yourself.
- Your cooperation is overwhelming.

Perry, I'll lay it on the line,

Hamp Fisher's alibi checks out.

But even if Susan was making sense,
Dave's boxed in.

Hamp Fisher didn't k*ll Oliver

because no one left the scene
after Dave entered.

Now, I've checked the room
with the lab people,

I've made time checks.

I've talked to everybody in the place,

and I still come up with the same
picture I gave you this morning

Dave k*lled Oliver and that's that.

I'll see you upstairs.

You're making me nervous, Ron.

I-- I've gotta talk
to that lieutenant today.

Last night all he asked me
was my name

and what I did
and if I saw anything and like that.

What did he ask you
when he talked to you this morning?

Oh, come on,
I told you three times already.

What was I doing, what did I hear,

did I leave the apartment,
was I alone,

did I know anybody
who'd wanna k*ll Joe?

Well, let's see, I was studying.

I heard the screams.

I was alone.
I didn't leave my apartment.

And I know lots of people
that are glad that Joe Oliver's dead.

Don't tell me, tell the police.

You're gonna have to
sooner or later, hon.

Don't call me hon.
You call everybody hon.

Me, Joe Oliver,
the pool man, those funky musicians--

Now listen, you wanna stay here,
you talk nice.

- I'm sorry.
- All right.

- You're not worried, are you?
- Why should I be worried?

What happens on the th,

when Joe Oliver's not around
to pay your rent?

Now, you shut up,
you and your dirty mind.

I pay my rent like everybody else.

Sure. Well, if the police are looking
for someone

that wanted to see Joe Oliver dead,
you're safe.

But about b*ating up Susan,
I wouldn't put it past you.

I thought you'd flip the second time
your meal ticket made a pass at her.

Well, you just be sure
to tell the police that.

Or are you going into hiding, hon?

I didn't do anything.

No, that's right, you didn't, did you?

And that's what's been eating
on your male ego.

You were so crazy for her,

but while she was screaming for help,
what were you doing?

Hiding your head in a pillow?

That big slob friend of yours,
he was b*ating her.

Well, I'm glad he's dead.

Joe wasn't a slob,
and he didn't hit her.

He was probably afraid
she'd tell his wife

that he made a pass at her.

She did tell her brother,
and so he b*at her.

And heaven help me,

I didn't budge.

The, uh, blood stains start there
at the doorway

and go on out to the balcony.

So at the time he was sh*t,

he could have been somewhere inside
then staggered back.

Steve, where was Dave Wolfe
when he was knocked down?

- If he was knocked down.
- All right, if.

He says he was right there.
Sergeant Brice, will you show him?

MASON:
Let's forget the question

of whether or not Oliver b*at Susan.

We know when he was sh*t,
he was facing the g*n.

So the k*ller was somewhere inside.

All six sh*ts struck Oliver,

so apparently, the k*ller was fairly close
or a remarkably good sh*t.

Dave is one of the best marksmen
on the force.

So the k*ller had to leave
by the back.

Unless he remained here
and swore that he was knocked out.

You're presuming Dave's guilty,
I'm presuming he's innocent.

Witnesses must know more
than they're telling.

I haven't talked to Ron Peters
or Mrs. Oliver yet,

but the rest are no help.

Now, will you close the door
when you're through, Mr. Mason?

Right.

Paul, I want you to take pictures
of all that can be seen

from every back window

and a composite of this balcony
all the way around.

All right.

Post a guard here, Brice.

- Let me know when Peters gets in.
- Yes, sir.

Yes?

MASON:
I hate to bother you, Mrs. Oliver.

- Police?
- No.

Newspapers?

I'm an attorney, Mrs. Oliver.

I've already got an attorney, and he
doesn't want me talking to anybody.

Mrs. Oliver, I have some news for you
I think you'll welcome.

What kind of news?

May I come in?

Hey there, what are you doing?

Taking a picture.

Well, I don't want my picture
in any newspaper.

When my book is published,
you can come out and take my picture.

- Not until.
- It's not for a newspaper.

Well, put that thing away.

Quite a lot of excitement last night,
wasn't there?

Yes. Too bad.

Nice girl.

I had some good talks with her,
sitting around the pool.

- Uh, you mind if I sit down?
- No, I'll get you a glass.

Mr. Jefferson,

since you were apparently
so fond of Susan--

Why didn't I do something?

I feel bad about that,

but at my age,
you sleep pretty soundly.

When I did awaken,
I was on my way out

when I heard my phone ring.

And by the time I'd answered it,

I heard the sh*ts,
and the police were here.

You know, it's hard to understand

how a man like Joe Oliver
could b*at that girl as he did.

When you get a little older,
study a little psychology.

You won't be surprised
by human behavior.

Joe Oliver had problems,

guilt over what he did to his wife,

guilt because he was carrying on
behind her back,

the pressure of debts,
five vacancies.

[PHONE RINGING]

Uh, Mr. Jefferson
or should I call you professor?

Just mister.
Professor is all behind me. Ha, ha.

Well, Mr. Jefferson,
you mentioned Joe Oliver's guilt

at what he had done to his wife.

What did he do to her?

Five years ago,
Joe put me in this wheelchair

with his drunken driving.

I've been alone ever since.

Were you alone last night?

Mr. Mason, you said yourself

you didn't think
Joe was b*ating that girl.

And you said you couldn't get out
of bed when you heard her scream,

that you couldn't even reach
the telephone.

That sounds to me
as if you were alone.

Now, if your husband wasn't here

and he wasn't
in Susan Wolfe's apartment,

where was he?

I don't know.

You don't know, Mrs. Oliver,
or you won't say?

He never told me
where he was going.

Mrs. Oliver, your husband was k*lled
for one of two reasons.

Either he was mistaken
for the girl's assailant or--

Or somebody wanted him dead.

Is that what you think?

It doesn't matter what I think.

It might matter to Dave Wolfe.

I can't tell you everybody
who didn't like Joe.

He had a terrible temper. He
was always cracking down on people.

Like the pool man and his creditors
and tenants who didn't pay their rent--

Do you remember a tenant
named Monk Coleman?

Nice young fellow, musician?

Nice young fellow, huh?

Well, he might have been,
but he sure kept it a secret.

Him and his noisy parties.

And Joe caught him and some
of his musician friends one night

full of goofballs.

At least one of them was.

What did your husband do,
report it to the police?

No.

He didn't get involved with the police.
He threw him out.

And I mean threw him.

Then he changed the lock
so he couldn't get to his clothes

until he'd paid up his rent.

[KNOCK ON DOOR]

May I get it for you?

Perry, I just talked to my office.
Della's been trying to reach you.

Police called several times.

Dave Wolfe wants to see you.
Apparently it's urgent.

I've gotta get out of here.

That's all I want from you,
no promises, no sympathy, no lies.

I want out.

Well, say something.

Are you through?

I'm through expecting miracles.

I'm through sticking to some story
that's gonna bring nothing but grief.

I told you
they took me to see Susan.

She's like out of her head. I talked
to the doctor. She's gonna need care.

Where's she gonna go
if I'm not waiting for her

- when she gets out of there?
- It will be least two months

before she's out of the hospital.

By then, if things go right,
well, maybe--

If. Maybe.

Answer me, are you gonna get me
out of here now?

I wouldn't get you out your way
even if I could.

My way?

Just a few hours ago you told me
I could plead guilty to a lesser charge,

involuntary manslaughter,
justifiable homicide,

an officer
in performance of his duty.

That was this morning.

Then it appeared
that you might have sh*t Oliver

while he was b*ating your sister.

That's no longer the case.

According to Susan,

if she was understood correctly,
Oliver wasn't b*ating her.

What difference does it make?

Say I sh*t him by mistake,
I don't care.

Plead guilty and waive a jury trial.
Judge will give me a year,

the board will give me
my walking papers.

If you plead guilty to f*ring six sh*ts
into an unarmed man,

you're not gonna walk away
with just a reprimand.

Well, I'll take that chance.

If you do, it'll be with another lawyer.

You told me this morning
you didn't k*ll Oliver.

I took your word for it.

Now, did you or didn't you?

I didn't, but what difference
does that make now?

All the difference in the world.

If you're not guilty, I'll fight for you

with whatever time and money
and effort it takes.

But, Dave,
I will not be party to a false confession.

I will not let you play tricks
with the law.

I will not watch you throw away
nine years of your life

and crucify yourself
and the police force in the process.

If that's what you want, go to it.

But don't ask me to help you.

Guard.

Wait a minute.

Can't you at least waive a jury trial?

No.

You think you can work something out
with the DA?

I won't try.

All right.

What are you gonna do?

If we're together on this,
we're gonna plead not guilty.

We're gonna waive preliminary
and ask for an early trial date.

We're gonna do our homework,

and then we're gonna put your case
before a jury.

DAVE [ON RECORDING]:
I felt a blow at the back of my neck.

It's fuzzy from here on, but I--

I seem to remember sounds.

A man's voice,
then sh*ts being fired.

And the sound of something
hitting the floor next to me

the g*n, probably,

only it seemed heavier then.

And then the sound of a door
slamming

and then a crash.

Must have been Oliver
hitting the balcony rail.

And I got up, I was dizzy.

I nearly fell on the candlestick.

--Only it seemed heavier then.

And then the sound of a door
slamming

and then a crash.

Must have been Oliver
hitting the balcony rail.

And I got up, I was dizzy.

I nearly fell on the candlestick.

Well, it's the only report we have.

Not one of the witnesses will admit
to hearing anything but the screams.

Of course Dave's had a chance
to think about it for two weeks.

But if the door slammed shut,
it does support our theory.

Well, it had to be the back door

because Oliver staggered
out the front door when he fell.

Young lady,
you get an A-plus in deduction.

Thank you, professor.

Speaking of professor,
I've got a laugh for you,

maybe even a little more.

Remember Craig Jefferson,

the, uh, Mr. Chips
of the apartment building?

The one who had the racing form
in his newspaper?

That's the one. Well, he's been
on my mind for a couple of weeks.

Something kept nagging at me,
so on a hunch, I made a check on him.

And he bets his social security
on the ponies.

Better than that, he makes book.

He has three phones
in his apartment

and does a thriving business.

That's why he's stuck by his phone.

That's why he didn't wanna
get involved.

- Paul, I think we'd better--
- Pay him a visit?

I already have
with the following results:

One, Oliver owed him $ , ,

two, Linda Blakely had a battle royal
with Oliver

the day before he was k*lled,

three, Ron Peters had been working
around the apartment house

to pay part of his rent,

but Oliver fired him when
he caught him in Linda's apartment.

Not a bad payoff for one visit.

What else do you plan?

Well, I've got a hunch
we ought to go see this Ron Peters,

even though Drumm got nothing.

And maybe Linda Blakely
would be worth a visit.

Hi, Arch, how's it going?

Another day, another commercial,
grind them out.

What can I do for you?

I'm looking for an actress,
Linda Blakely.

Yeah, she's doing a bit on this.

Say, what's a clean-cut American boy
like you doing

with a Linda Blakely?

Believe it or not it's business.
I don't even know her.

- Which one is she?
- Over there.

The cookie in the apron.

- You won't mind if I talk to her?
- After this sh*t.

- Thanks, Arch.
- All ready?

[BELL RINGS]

Roll them.

[LINDA GASPS]

Aunt Margaret, you saved my life.

ARCH:
Cut.

[BELL RINGS]

Some darned fool
loused up the meringue.

Props, get with it
or we'll be here till midnight.

If Ron Peters told you that,
he's a liar.

A couple of times between jobs
when I was on unemployment,

Joe laid out the rent for me.

He was a good guy that way.

I didn't say Ron told me.

Well, it sounds like Ron.

He was sore at Joe

because Joe made a pass
at Susan Wolfe one night

in the garage. And another--

Another, uh, time in her apartment.

And that's why you had a battle
with Joe Oliver, right?

What Joe did was his own business.

Did you have a fight with Joe Oliver?

It was over in a minute.

He didn't stay mad.

What happened?

Did his wife get you two
to kiss and make up?

Come on, Mr. Drake.
You're a big boy now.

Flo Oliver's enjoying poor health.

She needs that wheelchair
like I need a--

A closing notice.

Joe was lonesome,

and he was a good egg.

And if that violates some kind
of a purity code, well, that's tough.

Miss Blakely,
would you mind telling me

why you didn't do anything when
Susan Wolfe was screaming for help?

I stay out of other people's troubles.

I got enough of my own.

Susan Wolfe's neighbors sat
through at least ten minutes

of anguished cries for help
that night.

Her life was in the balance.

Yet no one made a move
to help her.

Today in this courtroom,

David Wolfe's life
hangs in the balance.

Now, his is no urgent plea for help,

it's a plea for judgment

based on what you see and hear

and perceive as this trial unfolds.

The prosecution has said
it will produce witnesses

who saw the defendant
standing over the body

with the m*rder w*apon in his hand

less than a minute
after the sh**ting occurred.

But you,
ladies and gentlemen of the jury,

must ask yourselves

what happened in that minute.

The prosecution has said
it will produce witnesses

who saw what happened

after Susan Wolfe's screams
ceased.

But you must ask yourselves

what happened
during those awful ten minutes

when her agony was ignored
by those very witnesses.

Susan Wolfe called for help
and no one answered.

You, the jury,

must be aware
of this conspiracy of silence.

David Wolfe asks not for help
but for justice.

Is the prosecution ready
to call its first witness?

Prosecution is ready, Your Honor.

You may proceed, Mr. Burger.

Yes, sir.

He said if Oliver so much as says
"Good morning" to her again,

he's in for trouble.

Now, since you tried
to restrain the defendant, lieutenant,

I assume
that you didn't just sit there.

Would you please tell us
what you did and what you saw?

DRUMM: Well, I was in my car
when I heard the sh*ts, I ran in.

The defendant was standing
on the balcony directly over the body,

- and there was a g*n in his hand.
BURGER: Your witness.

Lieutenant, how long a time
would you estimate elapsed

between the last sh*t

and the appearance of the defendant
on the balcony?

DRUMM:
Well, I'd say...

Well, less than a minute.

What did you do during that time?

I heard the sh*ts, got out of the car

and ran to the apartment courtyard.

It's conceivable, then,
that someone escaping from the scene

could have covered an equal amount
of ground during that time?

I saw no one escaping.

MASON:
You had no trouble remembering

what the defendant said to you
before he went into court.

Now, can you recall
what he said to you

when you next saw him?

DRUMM:
He said, "I didn't do it, Steve.

I don't know what happened,
but I didn't do it."

Susan's phone was out of order,
so she asked if she could use mine.

She called the police department
and asked for her brother.

And did you hear
what she said to her brother?

JEFFERSON:
No, I went to the mailbox then.

When I came back, I heard her say,

"Dave, I don't want you
to come out here

until you've cooled off.

I know you and your temper."

BURGER:
Take the witness, Mr. Mason.

Which phone did Susan use,
Mr. Jefferson.

I said mine.

MASON:
But you have three phones.

Specifically, which one?

Objection. Immaterial, irrelevant.

MASON:
I withdraw the question.

Mr. Jefferson, in previous testimony,
you've told the court

that you were on good terms
with the decedent.

Now, is that absolutely correct?

Well, we got along.

MASON:
Tell me, Mr. Jefferson,

did you ever thr*aten Mr. Oliver
with a p*stol?

Yes, I-- I did that.

But it was really just a jest, a joke.

So you weren't really serious

about the $ ,
Mr. Oliver owed you.

You didn't demand payment?

Yes, I did. He owed it to me.

But he refused to pay.

And the g*n didn't scare him?

Well, he was a big man.

He took it away from me.

Did you ever see that g*n again?

Yes, I did.

Speak up. Now, I, uh...

I want the jury to hear this.

JEFFERSON: Monk Coleman
gave a party, and I was invited.

They were kidding me
because I like serious music.

Who else was at that party,
Mr. Jefferson?

Oh, there was Hampton Fisher

and Susan Wolfe

and Linda Blakely

and another girl.

- From Milwaukee, I think.
- Now, tell us about the g*n.

Joe Oliver came in and waved it at us
and said to break it up.

Then he told Ron
he was going to change the locks.

Oh, Ron Peters was at that party?

JEFFERSON: Ron was the one
who told him what was going on.

He brought him over.

Mr. Jefferson,
why was Oliver so angry?

They were hopped up on goofballs.

MASON:
Who is they?

JEFFERSON: Uh, Hamp Fisher
and the girl from Milwaukee.

Well, uh, Susan said that Mr. Oliver
had made a pass at her in the garage.

And the week before,

he tried to get fresh with her
in her apartment.

Well, she told her brother about it,

and the next day he came out,
and I heard him say to Mr. Oliver,

"If this badge bothers you,
I'll take it off and b*at your brains in."

Cross-examine.

Mr. Peters,
you have such an excellent memory.

Could you tell me
what you said and did

during that ten minutes
when Susan Wolfe was screaming.

BURGER: Objection.
MASON: Withdraw the question.

Now, Mr. Peters,

your apartment abuts the apartment
where the decedent was k*lled.

Were you in your apartment

- at the time the sh*ts were fired?
- Yes.

- What did you hear?
RON: Screams.

Anything else?

Well, I had the music up pretty loud.

And when furniture was smashed,
you couldn't hear?

Yes.

MASON:
Yes, you could or, yes, you couldn't?

Yes, I heard it.

MASON: Did you hear the sh*ts fired?
- Yes.

Did you hear a door slam?

Look, if you're trying to make me feel
like a louse,

okay, you've succeeded.

I'd give anything in the world
to live that night over again, anything.

But I didn't budge
from my apartment

because I was afraid.

"And the sound of something
hitting the floor next to me,

the g*n probably.

Only it seemed heavier then.

And then the sound of the door
slamming

and then a crash.

Must have been Oliver
hitting the balcony rail.

And I got up, I was dizzy,
and I nearly fell on the candlestick.”

That's the end of the tape.

Paul, I want pictures of the interior
of every one of the apartments

- before court tomorrow.
- All right.

Della, I sense a little break
in the wall of silence.

I'm taking you at your word, Ron.

You said in court
that you'd give anything

to live that night over again.

Well, it's impossible,

but you can redeem it.

You said you were afraid.

And although I don't know why,
you're apparently still afraid.

Now you have a chance
to overcome that fear.

Mrs. Oliver,
I show you defense exhibit B,

a series of photographs
of the interiors

of the occupied apartments
which you manage.

Now, will you identify this item?

FLO:
It's a candlestick.

MASON: Can you identify
whose apartment it's in?

No, I'm not sure.

You see, those candlesticks
are in all the apartments.

Do you see any difference
between the candlestick

in the first picture
and those in the others?

FLO:
There are three in this, that's odd.

All the others have two in them.

Except that there's only one
in this first picture.

Mrs. Oliver,

will you note on the back of the picture
with the three candlesticks

that it has been attested to

as a photograph
of Susan Wolfe's apartment?

The picture with the one candlestick
is attested to

as from Miss Linda Blakely's
apartment.

FLO:
Uh, well, in the last inventory,

and that was...

Just before Joe, um, was k*lled,

there were two candlesticks

to each apartment.
That's how they're furnished.

Thank you.

Now, Mrs. Oliver, I was very pleased
to see you walk to the stand.

I thought you were confined
to a wheelchair.

Uh, well, I never told Joe
when I started to walk again.

Why?

I thought that was the only thing
that kept him from leaving me,

but there's no point
in that anymore.

But you as much as told me
he left you alone constantly.

Oh, I meant leaving.

Leaving for good.

Then on the night in question,
you were able to walk?

Did you leave your apartment?

No-- Well, yes, I walked from--
Out to the front.

- Why?
FLO: The girl's screaming

was driving me out of my mind,

and I knew Joe was up there
with her,

and I had to stop him.

Then, um, when I heard
that it was from the wrong apartment,

then I know that--

I knew that Joe wasn't there.

MASON:
Wrong apartment?

You mean,
you didn't think your husband

was in Susan Wolfe's apartment?

FLO: No.
MASON: Where did you think he was?

He was the same place
he was every night,

with her.

Miss Blakely, I ask you
to again tell the jury

what happened
to that second candlestick

missing from your room.

I don't remember.

MASON:
Miss Blakely,

the candlestick has been identified
by the inventory number.

It is now
in Susan Wolfe's apartment.

Does that refresh your memory?

Maybe she borrowed it.

MASON:
Miss Blakely,

did you hear
Susan Wolfe's screams?

Sure we heard her. Who didn't?

MASON:
But you didn't even pick up a phone.

I was, uh, busy.

MASON:
What about your friend?

What friend?

You just testified that,
"We heard her."

We, that's two of you.

Do you want me
to have the court reporter read it back?

All right, so Joe was with me.
Look, I know what you're trying to do.

You're trying to make me look
like I'm a tramp or something.

Well, there was nothing wrong.

He just came by to fix the sink.

[CROWD CHUCKLES
THEN GAVEL BANGS]

JUDGE:
Order.

Now, there'll be none of that.

Miss Blakely,
we've already heard testimony

that you fought with Mr. Oliver
earlier that day.

Now, isn't it true that you were angry
about his second attempt to--?

LINDA:
He didn't care about Susan.

It was just his way, that's all.

MASON: Miss Blakely,
when he saw you that night,

he told you that was the end of it,
didn't he?

He didn't mean it.

MASON:
That we'll never know,

but you can tell us one thing.

Susan's screams sent him out
of that apartment, didn't they?

And he carried
one of your candlesticks

to use as a w*apon, didn't he?

And you knew where he was going,
didn't you?

Yes, yes, yes!

MASON: Now, Ron,
when Joe Oliver went to Susan's aid,

he had to pass your apartment.

You testified you were awake
and listening.

Did you see him go by?

No.

See, I was, uh-- I--

I turned the music up
and went into the kitchen.

And later, after I heard the sh*ts,

I heard running footsteps,
so I looked out.

What did you see?

RON:
I saw a man down below

getting into a car,
under a street light,

getting into a station wagon.

Can you identify that person?

Yes, sir.

It was Monk Coleman,
right over there.

I don't care what he said.

I wasn't there.

The witness described you

as wearing a navy blue jacket
with a white collar.

Do you own such a jacket?

Yes, sir.

So do four other guys.
It's our band jacket.

Mr. Coleman,

after you attended that party
with Susan Wolfe,

did you call her on the telephone?

MONK: Yes, sir.
MASON: To thr*aten her?

MONK:

Well, what happened
was that Hamp--

Hamp Fisher found out
that Susan's brother was a cop.

I called her a couple of times
just to tell her to keep quiet.

If she told her brother,
all of us would be in a jam.

To your knowledge,

did Hamp Fisher ever talk to her?

I wouldn't know about that.

But you would know what perjury was,
wouldn't you?

Honest,

Hamp dropped me off on the strip
that night.

And he picked me up
an hour or so later

and that's all I know.

Okay, okay,
so I gave her a going-over.

MASON:
In case the jury is unaware

of what a going-over entails,

I'm gonna read a few items
from Susan Wolfe's medical report.

"Severe contusions,

internal injuries,

fractures of the upper arm.”

I won't go on with it.

Only,

what kind of animal are you?

I'm not the kind of guy
who looks for trouble.

I just wanted to talk to her,
to ask her to keep her mouth shut

about me being hopped up
on goofballs at the party.

And she starts arguing, yelling.

I just wanted her to shut up.

- I lost my temper.
MASON: And then her brother came in,

and you slugged him.

And then the only man who came
to her aid arrived, and you k*lled him.

Don't try to hang that on me.

Okay, I roughed the kid up,

then when her brother came in
waving that g*n around, I cooled him.

But then I cut out.

Do you have a band jacket?

Yeah, same as the others.

Except mine's got a crest on it.

But, uh, I don't remember wearing it
that night.

Yes, Mr. Mason,

the man I saw running away
was wearing that kind of coat.

Now, you've told us
that you heard him running

after the sh*ts were fired

and you saw him
from your rear window.

- Is that right?
- Yes.

Of course I'm not sure
that it was Hamp Fisher that I saw,

but whoever it was,

he was standing under a street light
and he was getting into a car.

Well, Ron, I think you're mistaken.

This photograph was taken
looking down on the street

from your kitchen window.

The protruding wall here
and the tree over here

totally obscure the area
near that street light.

I saw him.

I swear, I saw him.

Of course you saw him.

But not from your kitchen window.

Here's where you were standing
when you saw him,

behind Susan Wolfe's apartment.

Right after you k*lled Joe Oliver
and rushed out the back door.

I couldn't stand the screaming.

I looked all around for something
to use as a w*apon,

but I couldn't find anything.

So I went in there anyway.

And there was Susan's brother
laying on the floor.

And his g*n was beside him, and--

And Joe Oliver was bending over her,
and she was bleeding,

and I thought that he did it.

I picked up the g*n and ...

I fired
until there weren't any b*ll*ts left.

And then I went outside
and I saw this man running away,

and then I realized
that I might have made a mistake.

All right, I'm guilty.

I'm guilty.

But what about the rest of you?

You're all guiltier than I am.

Because you did nothing.

Nothing! You di--

Either because you were too scared
or you were too busy,

or you didn't care.

Well, I cared.

I cared.

That's more
than any of the rest of you can say.

I cared!

I cared.

Paul, I don't mean to criticize,

but you did cut that signal
rather close.

Perry, I leave it up to you.
Did I run that light?

- There they are.
PAUL: Hi, Steve. Hello.

- Perry.
SUSAN: Hi.

DELLA: Hi.
- Well, we're on our way to Hawaii.

My sister's working the flight,
so as her brother, I get a free pass.

I said I wouldn't leave
without thanking you personally.

Well, thank you.

Well, I think we'd better roll, sis.

- Thank you very much.
- Bye.

DELLA: Bye.
MASON: Have a good trip.

Paul, speaking as a friend,

you cut that signal pretty close
about three blocks from here.

- You'd better--
- Uh, watch it. I will, Steve.

That's right.

Don't say a word, not one word.

Perry, what's the penalty
for committing mayhem

on back seat drivers?

Don't worry, Paul.

No jury in the world
would convict you.