09x28 - The Case of the Positive Negative

[bunniefuu]

[KNOCKING ON DOOR]

WARREN:
Laura?

Laura?

Open up.

Open up.

Laura. Wake up.

Wake up.

Warren? What--?

What are you doing?

- Why?
- You know why I'm here.

Why did you do it?

Do what?

Well, what's wrong?

What are you talking about?

Who are you calling?

What for?

Why?

[PHONE RINGS]

Perry Mason.

It did? How long ago?

Fine, general.

Where's your meeting?

That's in, uh, San Carlos, isn't it?

Uh, outside the city?

Yes, general,
I'll be there as quickly as I can.

MAN : What do you think?
MAN : Perfect.

The other sh*t's just as good.

MAN : What about this one?
MAN : That one's no good.

Infrared bulb must have been
out of sync with the shutter.

But the other two sh*ts
are beautiful.

Your fire-eating general
won't have time to worry

about reforming San Carlos.

He'll be too busy
worrying about his wife.

General Brandon, this is the best news
the town of San Carlos has had

in a long time.

When the people here incorporated
as a separate municipality,

they assumed
that being outside Los Angeles,

and therefore it's tax rolls,
would be a blessing.

What we failed to realize was

we were placing ourself beyond
Los Angeles' city law enforcement,

making ourselves easy prey
to racketeers.

So it's no wonder that George Emory
was able to move in

and practically take over San Carlos.

This special enforcement commission
could very well be the answer.

Let's understand each other,
gentlemen.

I said I'd received a request
from the governor

to head this commission.

I did not say I agreed.

Neither did I say I'd refuse.

Now, my answer to the governor
depends on you, gentlemen.

And Frank Cummings
when he gets here.

You three men asked the governor
to appoint me.

Now, I will accept on one condition,

if you, Mr. Mason,
and you, Mr. Overton,

and Mr. Cummings,

will serve with me
on the commission.

Well, general,
this is hardly the job for me.

Ha, ha. Let me tell you about a few jobs
our government has thought up for me

in my years.

Yes, I know.
As soldier, diplomatic troubleshooter.

No one's earned their retirement
more than you have.

Putting the golf clubs back
in mothballs for a while,

that'll be easy,
but telling Laura, my wife...

I imagine Mrs. Brandon has been
looking forward to your retirement,

making plans.

She's a good soldier, that girl.

All these years
when I've had to be away,

one, two, three, four at a time,
she never complained.

That's why I hate
to disappoint her so now.

General, I can't speak for Mr. Overton
or for Mr. Cummings,

and as for myself,
if you can face Mrs. Brandon,

I can face serving with you.

And I can face George Emory.

But, general, I warn you...

[KNOCK ON DOOR]

That must be Frank.

Mr. Mason, the roof's caved in.

Here. Just as I was getting ready
to come over here,

this was shoved under my door.

MASON: "Either General Brandon
refuses the appointment

to head
the enforcement commission

or the newspapers get these pictures
in time for the morning edition."

Surely no newspaper would print
such scurrilous pictures.

At least one would.

The San Carlos Press.

George Emory owns it.

Let me see those.

My wife? My aide?

I'll bet George Emory is responsible
for this frame.

Of course. Emory must have set
the whole thing up.

But how could he know
about the governor's offer?

Only we knew.

And young Cotton.

Maybe you trusted your aide
too much.

I won't believe that.

General, what we must do
as quickly as possible,

is to prove those pictures
were falsely devised.

Prove it? How? When?

If I don't refuse this appointment,

these pictures will be in print
the first thing in the morning.

I expected Emory
to fight with bare knuckles.

But that he'd stoop so low
as to smear my wife...

BRANDON:
Well?

Well, what, Roger?

You two were photographed
in this position,

and you didn't even know
that photographs were being taken?

No.

You don't trust me.

Is that what you mean?

No, it's not what I mean,

but when someone shows a man
pictures like these,

I think I'm entitled
to some explanation.

You think there was something
between me and Warren?

- I didn't say that.
- But you were thinking it.

No, I wasn't.

But when I get into a fight,
I wanna know all about the situation.

And I am in a fight right now
with George Emory.

Believe me, dear,
all the years that we were separated,

I never had a single doubt
about you.

It never entered my head
to doubt you.

All right.

Once more.
Warren came into the bedroom.

He said he'd gotten a call
or a message

that I'd taken sleeping pills,
tried to k*ll myself.

Warren could be that naive?

You don't believe me.

I do.

But whether I believe you or not,

Emory still has these pictures
to use against me.

And I've let you down.

I didn't say that.

You didn't have to.

Oh, where are you going?

I'm going to Los Angeles
to see the man responsible for these.

Warren?

Oh, thank goodness I caught you in.

This is Laura.

Well, so much for all our hopes
of getting rid of George Emory.

Men of Brandon's stature
and reputation are rare.

Without him, I'm afraid we're licked.

We should have stopped him
before he ever went out that door.

Suppose it was your wife
in those pictures.

All right. So, what do we do?

Just give up?

Leave San Carlos
in the hands of Emory's thugs?

No one's suggesting that.

In a way, we're responsible
for what's happened.

Men like George Emory exist

only because
there aren't enough good men

willing to get involved in public life.

That's true.

So when a man with a sense of duty

as strong as General Brandon's
does appear,

we put an intolerable load
on his shoulders.

And now we've asked him
to take on one more burden.

And if he does, he's liable to see his
whole private life completely destroyed.

We have only one chance,

and that's to prove
that Emory set this thing up.

BILL: What's the matter with you,
Warren?

- I told you I'd meet you outside.
- Open the door.

- Look, kid, we--
- I said, open it.

I don't wanna stand here
and be seen with you.

I've heard of some low tricks.

But how anyone could set up
his own nephew for a frame...

You've gotta come with me
and admit what you did.

Look, what's it with you, kid?

Are you gonna deny
you took those pictures for your boss?

What pictures?

Of me and Mrs. Brandon
in that motel room.

You were with the general's wife
in a motel room?

Of course,
you don't know a thing about it, huh?

Look, all I know is,
I moved heaven and earth

to get my nephew a place
with the finest guy that ever lived.

And how do you pay me back?

By fooling around with his wife.

I wasn't fooling around.
I was framed, set up.

By the man you work for,
George Emory.

Emory?

I get it now.

Emory's afraid of Brandon.

It's just the kind of thing
that he would do to protect himself.

Look, Warren,
I didn't take those pictures.

You know I'd never do anything
to hurt General Brandon.

Well, what a mess.

I've worked for Emory, sure.

I was out of the service. I--

Emory made it sound great.

Even clean.

I was an easy touch.

I had you to get through school,
I had to pay for that fancy degree.

I looked the other way
when I shouldn't have.

But I never expected my old CO
would show up here to fight Emory,

and that Emory would use you
against him.

Then if you didn't take the pictures,

you don't have the negatives.

No, of course not.

Then we only have until press time
to get them back.

After that,
it won't make any difference.

Where are you going?

There's something I have to do.

Now, Warren, you're in enough
trouble already. Don't make it worse.

EMORY:
Don't you thr*aten me.

I didn't take those pictures
and I didn't hire anyone else to do it.

MAN: There's one little thing
you're forgetting.

Well, the white knight.

Sir Galahad in person.

Where's your horse?

I wanna talk to you, Emory.

I just talked to your boy,
Warren Cotton,

and I don't like
having g*ns pulled on me.

Warren was here?

You expect me to believe that you
didn't send him here to thr*aten me?

I do my own threatening, Emory.

Look, it's after midnight
and I was going to bed.

You'll listen to me first.

In here.

If you came
because of those photographs,

you're barking up the wrong guy.

I had nothing to do with taking them.

You seem to know they were taken.

I told you. Your flunky
came busting in here with a g*n.

He was gonna blow my head off
if I didn't give him the negatives.

Maybe the kid is smart, general,

but he's a lousy recruit
for your army of redemption.

Old as I am,
I took that g*n away from him

in about two seconds.

And now
I'm telling you once and for all,

I don't have your negatives
and I don't know anything about them.

If I have to use force
to make you give them to me, I will.

I'm pretty good
with ducks and rabbits, general,

but I never bagged me
a genuine Army officer before.

That's my p*stol.

I'm surprised at you, general.

Didn't you ever learn not to leave g*ns
and wives lying around loose?

So help me, Emory,
I'll k*ll you for saying that.

Not tonight, general.

It's very late and I'm very tired.

This is General Brandon.

Mason.

Yes, he's here with me now.

Laura? Oh, she just stepped out.

There is no point
in you going there now.

I've already seen Emory.

And you saw George Emory?

I'm not sure that was wise.

He denied all knowledge
of the photographs.

I'm afraid we're licked, Mason.

It's after .

I can't throw my wife to the wolves,

enforcement commission
or no enforcement commission.

I can't honestly say I blame you.

Ask him about the leak.

General,
did you find out how Emory knew

about the governor's decision
to appoint you?

No, I didn't.

But Warren said he didn't mention it
to Emory or anyone else,

and I believe him.

Laura. Where have you been?

Out. Just out.

If you believe Warren, general,
I have to accept that.

I see.

Well, please don't make any statement
until you hear from me again.

Yes, everything we can.

Good night.

The leak wasn't through Warren.

Then who? There was only
your three-man committee,

the general himself
and Warren Cotton.

What about Mrs. Brandon?

The general told me earlier

that she didn't know
about the appointment.

He was somewhat hesitant
about telling her.

I can understand that.

PAUL: Well, Emory just didn't divine it
out of thin air.

To take photographs,
write that note in time

to stop the general from accepting,
he had to know.

The only lead we have, if it is a lead,
is the tie-in you discovered

between Warren Cotton's uncle
and George Emory.

And Uncle Bill
is a professional photographer,

runs a photo shop and could've taken
those pictures, don't forget that.

Well, let's go.

- Where?
- To the photo shop.

Sorry, Della,
but you better stand by for calls.

- But, Perry--
- And, Paul,

I want you
to check the other papers.

Find out if anyone
besides Emory's paper

has been approached
with the photographs.

Our chances
of stopping those pictures

from being printed
are ticking away minute by minute.

[GLASS SHATTERS]

Hello, this is General Brandon. I'd like
to speak with the governor, please.

I believe
he's expecting a call from me.

Yes, thank you, I'll hold on.

[SIRENS WAILING]

[CAR DOORS SLAM]

[KNOCK ON DOOR]

Uh, no, thank you. I'll call back later.

- Yes?
- Major General Roger Brandon?

- Yes.
- San Carlos Police, general.

This is Lieutenant Drumm
of the Los Angeles Department.

What can I do for you, lieutenant?

General, I'm placing you under arrest
on suspicion of m*rder.

- What m*rder?
- George Emory.

George Emory has been m*rder*d?

DRUMM: General Brandon,
I'm required to inform you of your rights.

You don't have to answer questions,
but anything you say now

may be later used
as evidence against you.

You have a right
to call your attorney.

Get on the telephone, dear.

Try and reach Perry Mason.

Al right?

[FIRE EXTINGUISHER SPRAYS]

I think somebody slugged me.

It looks
as if you've been burglarized.

Oh, I don't keep enough cash
in the register to feed a midget.

- Then what were they after?
- I don't know.

If you hadn't broke in here,
the smoke would have k*lled me.

- Thanks, mister.
- Mason.

I'm Bill Cotton.

Mason?

Perry Mason?

General Brandon's brain trust.

- I'd like to talk with you.
- Don't talk to me, talk to Warren.

Don't you, uh,
wanna help your nephew?

How can I help him
if I don't know anything?

Whoever did this to you
thought you knew something.

Perhaps the location
of certain negatives.

I don't have the negatives.
I didn't develop those pictures.

- Like I told Warren, I--
- Warren was here?

Yeah,
he thinks I took the pictures too.

I wouldn't do anything
to hurt General Brandon.

- You can believe that.
-I can, but I don't.

We know you're involved
with George Emory and--

[PHONE RINGS]

Yeah.

Who?

Just a minute. It's for you.

Hello?

Yes, Della.

- m*rder*d?
- It apparently happened sometime

between and
in the study of his home.

George Emory has been k*lled.

The police
have picked up General Brandon.

- Go ahead, Della.
- The general's wife called

right after Steve Drumm
took him to headquarters.

Now, shall I call her and tell her
that you'll be in touch with the general?

Yes, but first,
I'll stop at Emory's place.

Right.

The general didn't do it.

How do you know that?

Well, I know the general.
That's enough.

Oh, wait a minute.

You were right. I worked for Emory.

This place is a pigeon drop
for Emory's payoffs.

There's one thing here now,

but maybe that's the reason somebody
wanted to burn the store down.

Earlier tonight, Emory asked me
to keep this privately.

I learned a long time ago
not to open his stuff.

Well, he can't object now.

What'd he want that thing for?

It looks like it's an out

from the same setup
as these two sh*ts.

But it's underexposed, I don't think
you could make a print from it.

Why did he want me to keep it?
Why didn't he just throw it away?

I don't know.

But until we have an answer,
would you mind if I keep it?

Be my guest.

Oh, and look, Mr. Mason,

if there's anything I can do
to help General Brandon,

now, anything at all,

just yell for me, okay?

Hello, Perry.
It didn't take you long to get here.

- Thanks for letting me in, Steve.
- Unusual circumstances.

George Emory was the big wheel
in San Carlos,

but he was k*lled right here
in the Los Angeles city limits.

You didn't waste much time picking up
General Brandon for the k*lling.

Brandon had already admitted
that he was here with George Emory

at the approximate time of the m*rder,
between and : .

Has he said anything else
without counsel?

You mean, did I break him down?

No, Perry, I didn't.

I showed him this
in Emory's own handwriting.

What was he gonna do,
deny that he was here?

This calendar pad proves only that
Emory could write the general's name.

And the general's wife's name.

Well, I imagine you'll be able
to put together a theory of some sort.

It's no theory.

The general's
a straightforward man.

He volunteered the information
about the frame Emory pulled.

Before or after you advised him
of his rights?

After, Perry, after.

And since Emory's m*rder effectively
kept the pictures out of his newspaper,

and this place
has evidently been ransacked

in search of the negatives,

I think we got a case, a good case.

And you know it.

Twenty years
of being the perfect wife,

of being left alone half the time
but keeping that stiff upper lip.

And it's all forgotten just because
some tinhorn political animal

produces some photographs.

I'm sick and tired of it.

And I'm not going to listen
to any more accusations.

No one's accusing you of a thing,
Mrs. Brandon.

The general didn't believe it.

He has complete faith in you.

Of course he does.

That's why
he kept throwing questions at me

as if I were the defendant
at a court martial.

That's why he went rushing out of here
to see Emory

when I begged him not to.

Mrs. Brandon,
how well did you know George Emory?

What?

I didn't know him at all.

Where were you earlier tonight
when I called the general

before Emory's body
was discovered?

I took a walk.

And don't ask me where
and don't ask me why.

I just walked,
walked around in circles.

You were nowhere
in the vicinity of Emory's home?

I said, I walked.

I could hardly have walked
into Los Angeles.

Mrs. Brandon,
did you talk to George Emory tonight

or at another time?

He'd written your name
on his calendar.

That might mean nothing.

Yes.

I talked to him.

You see,

I was afraid of what might happen
when Roger confronted Emory.

I begged Emory to tell him the truth
about the photographs.

It shows how clearly I was thinking
at the time.

What was Emory's answer?

Well,
he said he hadn't seen my husband,

he wouldn't let him in if he came,

and he didn't have
any photographs taken.

Anything else?

Well, there was a pause.

I heard someone, a man, I think,
in the background talking.

Very loud.

And then I heard Emory talking too.

Can you remember exactly
what he said?

- The other person?
- Yes.

I couldn't make it out.

He was yelling, that's all.

What about Emory?

I'm not sure.

I picked up a few words,
then he put his hand over the phone.

I think I heard something like,
"I've taken my last offer.”

Or he could have said "order."

Then Emory was back on the phone
and he said:

"Good night, Mrs. Brandon,"
and hung up.

I'll be talking to the general
in the morning.

I'll arrange for you to see him.

By then, Emory's m*rder
and your husband's arrest

will be on every front page
in the country.

Now, don't give any interviews.

Don't discuss the case with anyone,
all right?

Mr. Mason,

I'm sorry if I--

Well, he makes me mad
as the devil sometimes.

But I love
that old ramrod Roger Brandon.

And I'm glad
that you are on our side.

Good night, Mrs. Brandon.

Laura.

Good night, Laura.

Yes, those are the exact words
I used to Lieutenant Drumm.

Do you have any idea how your g*n
came to be at Emory's place?

Emory had it before I got there.

You saw it?

When Warren Cotton
heard about the pictures,

he took the g*n and went to Emory's
to try to get the negatives back

and undo the damage
he'd already caused.

But Emory took the g*n away
from him.

But that was before I arrived.

Warren told you this?

No, George Emory did,
but Warren confirmed it later.

Warren's word wouldn't be enough
in court.

And the only confirming witness
is dead.

Mason,
from what Lieutenant Drumm said

about the time of death,

Emory must have been k*lled
right after I left.

And I just remembered,
when I got to the house,

I heard the voice
of another man inside.

He and Emory were arguing,

but when Emory let me in,
there was no sign of that man.

In fact, Emory said
he was ready to go to bed,

but that couldn't have been true.

Mr. Mason, when I left,
that man was still in the house

and Emory was still alive.

And what's your appraisal
of the case against the general?

MASON:
Very strong.

Maybe a chain
of circumstantial coincidences,

but the general did admit to the police
that he was there.

And he certainly had motive.

If things weren't tough enough
before,

now the general has got us mixed up
in a m*rder.

Aren't you forgetting, Frank,
that he'd be free and clear,

enjoying his retirement,
if it weren't for the three of us?

The least we can do now
is to support him.

Perry, I'll contribute any amount
of money to help the general.

Thank you.

But what the general needs
at the moment is our good faith.

Even if it means putting
the old Overton name on the line.

Well,
I, uh, think that goes without saying.

MASON:
Does it?

We're agreed on that.

If we did anything else,
how would it look?

Frank and I will be standing by

just in case
there's anything we can do.

If there is,
you can be sure I'll call on you.

They look like honorary pallbearers
trying to make a good impression.

They'll never succeed.

Stanley Overton is so zealous
in guarding his family name,

he has difficulty in remembering
it's the general who's in trouble.

What did you think
of Frank Cummings?

Well, he was the first person that
called for an enforcement commission

to try to get rid of George Emory.

And wasn't he the one who first
suggested approaching the general?

Then why was he so reluctant
to stand by the general now?

We ran down the lot number
on the edge of the negative.

- And?
- Well, it might mean nothing at all.

Files with the same batch
with the same number.

But this entire lot
was sold to a distributor

who supplies a chain of drugstores.

You know who owns the drugstores
and the distribution company?

- Frank Cummings?
- Frank Cummings.

So we know this little piece of film
was sold in one of his stores.

But we don't know to whom.

Well, we know that for some reason

this negative was valuable
to George Emory,

and he gave it to Bill Cotton
to keep for him.

Of course it may not mean anything.

Paul, remember the reason
that Cummings gave

for fighting the Emory machine?

He said
that all the San Carlos merchants

were forced to pay off
in order to stay in business.

Yeah, all but Cummings.

I recall his telling us
he'd refused to knuckle under.

MASON: Yeah, but he did business
in San Carlos for years.

How did he manage that?
He amassed a fortune.

Unless Frank Cummings
was also paying off to George Emory.

All right, I'm here.

Now, why have you been bugging me?
What's so important?

General Brandon. He's important.

Of course he's important, but why--

What happened
between you and Emory

when you went there
with the general's g*n?

I told you.
And I told General Brandon's lawyer.

I threatened Emory with the g*n,

told him I wanted him
to k*ll the pictures

and give me the negatives.

And he said
he had nothing to do with the frame

and he knew from nothing
about the negatives.

That's right.

You know,
I thought maybe you had grown up,

but you meekly let him take that g*n
out of your hand

and you walked out of there
with your tail between your legs.

- I know how it sounds.
- Oh, do you?

Then you'll know why I don't buy it.
None of it.

Now, you listen to me.

If you pulled the trigger of that g*n
and k*lled George Emory,

I want you to say so. In court.

You'd do almost anything
for General Brandon.

If I have to, yes.

Even k*ll George Emory yourself.

Now, you watch it, kid.

Don't try putting this on my back.

You could have pulled the trigger too,
you know?

You could have gone there.

The g*n he took from me
was in the study,

and you had more reason
than I had,

not just for the general,

but the fact
he was double-crossing you

by framing me.

Your Honor, I believe
this country owes a tremendous debt

to General Roger Brandon.

He has served our nation
for a lifetime with valor and with honor.

Unfortunately, we are not able
to repay any part of that debt

in this courtroom today.

Because here, we are concerned
with cold-blooded m*rder.

And here, we are obliged
to prove the truth about that m*rder.

And the truth is,
that General Brandon,

just as he fought the enemies
of our country

with v*olence and abandon,

so he demonstrated
the same characteristic v*olence

when he came face-to-face
with his own personal enemy,

the deceased, George Emory.

Granted, that George Emory was a--

The head
of a corrupt political machine

that was feeding off
a small community called San Carlos.

Granted that General Brandon,
by appointment of the governor,

had agreed once more
to take up arms against an enemy.

He was not empowered personally
to mete out justice.

That remains the province
of the law.

According to the law,
George Emory was m*rder*d.

And so, Your Honor,
the state will prove,

according to the law,

that General Roger Brandon
is guilty of that m*rder.

BURGER: I show you this w*apon,
Lieutenant Drumm,

marked People's Exhibit .

I ask if you recognize it.

Yes, Mr. Burger,
this is the g*n that we found

beside the body of the deceased.

Did you subsequently have it subjected
to any tests or examinations?

Yes, sir, I was present
when we tested it for fingerprints.

Let's see.

Ballistic tests were made.
A b*llet fired from this g*n

was checked
by comparison microscope

with the b*llet taken
from the body of the decedent.

And what were the results
of these two tests?

Fingerprints of the defendant,
General Brandon,

were found on the slide.

Striations on the b*llet fired
by Ballistics,

matched perfectly
those found on the fatal b*llet.

In other words, Mr. Burger,

that is identified
as the m*rder w*apon.

And did you check its registration,
lieutenant?

Yes, sir, I did.

It was registered
to General Brandon.

All right, lieutenant.

Now, would you relate for us, please,
the events that took place

when you made the arrest
in this case?

DRUMM:
I went to the Royal Beach Motel

accompanied
by the San Carlos Police

and informed General Brandon
of his rights,

told him that he didn't have
to make any statement,

but he ignored that.

BURGER: You mean,
the general did make a statement?

He admitted
that he was with George Emory

at approximately
the time of the m*rder.

Cross-examine.

Lieutenant Drumm,
defense is satisfied

that the general's p*stol
was the death w*apon

and that his fingerprints
were on the g*n.

Wouldn't it appear more incriminating
if the w*apon had been wiped clean?

And wouldn't the fact that it was not
tend to indicate

that someone
besides General Brandon

carried the w*apon
into George Emory's study?

DRUMM: Not to me.
Unfortunately, the only other person

who could testify,
other than General Brandon, is dead.

MASON:
Exactly.

So that if the w*apon were there
in Emory's study,

it could have been used
by any of his enemies,

and he had many, to k*ll him.
Is that not correct?

- Objection.
JUDGE: Sustained.

Withdraw the question.

I'm, uh, through with the witness,
Your Honor.

BURGER:
Just one moment, please.

Lieutenant Drumm,

is there any evidence at all
that someone else,

someone
other than General Brandon,

carried that g*n into the study
that night?

DRUMM:
No, sir, none that we could find.

And even in assuming
that someone else carried it in there,

would that assumption, in any way,
contradict the evidence

that it was General Brandon
who picked it up

and used it to k*ll his enemy?

I don't see how, Mr. Burger.

BURGER:
That's all.

Yes, I received a call
from General Brandon

earlier in the evening,

asking me to come to a secret meeting
in his San Carlos office.

Would you tell the court, please,
why you were late

arriving at that meeting,
Mr. Cummings?

Well, something had happened.

An envelope had been shoved
under my door.

BURGER:
What did the envelope contain?

CUMMINGS:
Some photographs.

Are these the photographs,
Mr. Cummings,

marked People's Exhibit and ?

Are these the photographs you found
in that envelope?

CUMMINGS:
Yes, sir, they are.

And can you tell us now
if the two people

shown in these photographs
are known to you.

Oh, there's Laura Brandon,
the wife of General Brandon,

and Warren Cotton,
General Brandon's civilian aide.

And will you please tell us now
what else you found in the envelope

that indicated the intended purpose
of these photographs.

Well, there was a note in there.

It said that unless General Brandon
refused the governor's appointment

to head
the enforcement commission,

that these photographs
of his wife and Warren

would be turned over
to the newspapers.

BURGER: In other words,
they were to be used as blackmail.

Yes, sir.

I took the photographs
and the note over to the meeting

and showed them
to General Brandon.

BURGER:
What was the general's reaction?

He was furious.

I don't think
I've ever seen a man so angry.

I think
if George Emory had been there,

the general would have strangled him
with his bare hands.

- Objection.
JUDGE: Sustained.

Clerk will strike the witness'
last remarks from the record.

Did the general make any remark
at that time?

Well, he said
that he didn't think any man

could be so low as to strike
at another man through his wife.

BURGER: And after he had made
that comment, what did he do?

He grabbed the photographs
and the note

and stormed out of the room.

BURGER: Do you know
where he was going, Mr. Cummings?

CUMMINGS:
To see George Emory, I suppose.

MASON:
Objection.

Calling for a conclusion
from the witness.

BURGER: I withdraw the question,
Your Honor.

I'm finished with this witness.

- Mr. Mason.
MASON: Your Honor,

we would prefer to delay
a cross-examination of this witness

until we've had an opportunity
to lay out our defense.

Witness is excused,
subject to recall by the defense.

Your Honor, for purposes
of this preliminary hearing,

that's all the evidence
we wish to present.

We have demonstrated
that General Brandon,

a professional man of v*olence,

reacted violently to an attempt
to smear his wife's name.

We have demonstrated further
that he went, by his own admission,

to the home
of the man he held responsible,

and there,
confronting his enemy, George Emory,

we firmly believe he then
pulled the trigger on his own g*n

and sh*t his enemy to death.

We have shown that he had motive,
opportunity and the m*rder w*apon.

And we, thus, must ask

that General Brandon be bound over
for trial in superior court

for the m*rder of George Emory.

MASON: Then, you served in two wars
with General Brandon.

Yes, sir.

Until a land mine
blew up my photo jeep,

took away part of my leg.

And it was General Brandon
who saved your life.

Yes, sir.

He's about the finest man
I ever knew.

- Objection.
JUDGE: Sustained.

Witness will confine himself
to direct answers.

MASON: Now, Bill,
I wonder if you'd describe for us

your association
with George Emory.

He set me up in business,
the photo shop,

so he could use the place as a drop.

Pigeon drop?

See, Emory thought that, uh,
his pigeons could make the payoff

through the store
without attracting attention.

What they'd do is they'd bring in
envelopes with the store name,

pretending they had pictures
to be developed.

But in reality...?

All there was in the envelopes
was cash,

payoff money for George Emory.

And who were these pigeons?

Everybody who did anything at all
in San Carlos.

Well, anybody that wanted
a zoning change,

or building permit,

okay to run a crap table,
butter-and-eggs game.

Bill, I want you
to look around this courtroom.

Do you, uh, recognize
any of those pigeons?

I know one.

That man sitting there
next to Mr. Overton.

You must be mistaken, Bill.

The gentleman you've pointed out
is Mr. Frank Cummings,

the leader of the fight
against the Emory machine.

Look,
he was there regular as clockwork.

He was in my store every week
with films to be developed.

Your Honor, I would like to recall
Mr. Frank Cummings to the stand.

You've heard yourself accused
of trafficking with the enemy,

doing business with George Emory,

while pretending to lead a movement
to oust him from control of San Carlos.

Well, Mr. Cummings?

It's true.

I did pay off to George Emory.

But I was not pretending
to lead a reform movement.

I broke off with Emory months ago.

He was bleeding me
and everybody else white.

And I haven't paid him
one red cent since.

And I haven't been near
that photo shop.

We have only your word for that.

You've also given us your word
that the envelope with the photos

was shoved under your door,

and that you don't know their origin.

Now, did you,
by any chance, take them?

Of course I didn't.
That's preposterous.

Or pay to have them taken?

I show you

Defense Exhibit B,

a film negative
traced to George Emory

and entrusted to the care of Bill Cotton
by Mr. Emory.

Now, the edge number
of this cut film negative

identifies it as coming
from one of your drugstores.

What does that prove?

By itself, very little.

But added to the fact
that only four persons,

the general, myself, Stanley Overton,
and you, Mr. Cummings,

knew about the committee meeting
and the governor's appointment,

that only four of us knew
about the motel room

maintained by the general
and Mrs. Brandon.

Only four of us knew Warren Cotton
had a personal key to that room.

Only four of us could have arranged
to have taken those pictures.

But only one,

only one paid off to George Emory.

You, Mr. Cummings.

Well, what of it?

I've already admitted that.

Get Stanley Overton up here
on the stand.

He'll vouch for me.

I told him everything

when I first suggested to him
that we appeal to the governor

to set up
this enforcement commission.

He'll tell you that it was my idea
to bring you into this.

And he'll tell you that it was my idea

to get General Brandon
to head this commission.

Get up here, Stanley.
Get up here and tell them.

MASON: Mr. Overton, I would like
to ask you a hypothetical question.

Would it be possible for a man

to pretend to oppose corruption
and racketeering,

pretend to be interested in reform,

when all the while
he was still cooperating closely

with the common enemy?

And by being a trusted member
of the reform camp,

be able to learn every move planned
to stamp out that corruption?

Well, yes, theoretically,
I suppose it would be possible.

But if you're suggesting
that Frank Cummings

could be capable of such duplicity,

I just will not buy that.

Every word he told you
about our relationship is the truth.

Well, I'm glad to hear that.

It must be very gratifying
to Mr. Cummings

to have such a staunch
and loyal friend.

Now, to, uh, get back to the photographs
of Warren Cotton and Mrs. Brandon,

there's one point we've all,
defense and prosecution, overlooked.

Oh, what point is that, Mr. Mason?

MASON:
Well, it seems obvious now

that only someone who knew
about the governor's appointment

ahead of our committee meeting
could have taken these pictures in time

to send them
with that threatening note.

I believe that's patently obvious,
Mr. Mason.

Yes, Your Honor.

But George Emory did not know
about that appointment.

All along, we've assumed
that he was behind this.

But he could not
have been responsible.

JUDGE: But according to the testimony,
there was no one else who had reason.

Someone playing both sides
of the fence could have had reason.

Isn't that true, Mr. Overton?

Yes, I suppose so, but--
Well, I've already told you that--

Then if the clue
is not in these photographs,

perhaps there might be something
in this negative.

It's a discarded negative.

Mr. Bill Cotton, an expert, will testify

that it would be impossible
to get a clear copy from it.

And, Your Honor,
that's why I requested permission

to arrange a brief demonstration.

But, Mr. Mason, the court is satisfied
that the negative is worthless.

Not to George Emory, Your Honor.

It was so valuable to him, he gave it
to Bill Cotton for safekeeping.

It was so valuable that someone
other than the defendant,

for he was already in custody,

tried to k*ll Bill Cotton
to obtain the negative.

It was so valuable someone tried
to burn down his camera shop

to destroy the negative.

And these events took place

after that same man
m*rder*d George Emory

in an attempt to get this negative,

the negative I'm about to show you.

That's completely worthless.

You can't even make out
the two people.

You can see fingerprints
in the corner there,

fingerprints that photo experts verify
could only have been made

by someone holding the wet negative
at the time it was developed,

someone who had hired
the photographer to take the sh*ts,

not knowing that he too
was being framed by George Emory

at the very same time.

Then if those prints
can be identified...

Your Honor,

they already have been identified
by a qualified analyst.

They're yours, Mr. Overton.

You k*lled George Emory

when he threatened
to use that negative against you,

threatened to blacken
the fine old family name

and tell the world what you'd done

to a brilliant, distinguished man
that trusted you.

Now, why, Mr. Overton?

Even if you were working for
or paying off to George Emory,

why would he wanna frame you?

I work for George Emory?

He was working for me.

Then you were the real boss
of San Carlos?

I don't like that word, "boss,"

but nevertheless,
San Carlos is my town. I run it.

George Emory was nothing,
a figurehead.

I set him up in business.

And then,
like so many ungrateful peasants,

he had delusions of grandeur.

He wanted to run the show himself.

He didn't need me anymore.

So when you went to him for a
photographer to frame the general--

He paid the photographer to frame me
using the negative,

unless I let him take over.

That was his ultimatum.

Either I give in or k*ll him.

That didn't leave me much choice.

It was impossible for me to give in.

It was easy, oh, so easy, to k*ll him.

"To Major General Roger Brandon

from the grateful citizens
of San Carlos.”

Grateful?

Grateful for what?

What did I do, except do my best
to make a fool of myself?

One way or another,
by being willing to serve,

you solved the problem, general.

The Emory machine, or I should say
the Overton machine, is destroyed.

And Mr. Cummings told us
they've had a flock of volunteers

for the new reform movement.

That just shows you
what the example of one man can do.

I can't take credit for that.

Oh, heh, stop asking to be convinced,
Roger. Keep the clubs.

You know you're mad about them.

You'd think the woman would have
more respect for my rank, at least,

but she reads me off

as if I was a buck private
in the rear rank.

[CHUCKLES]

Good for you, Mrs. Brandon.

Without a woman
to keep them in line,

all men, even lawyers
and general officers, would be lost.