All language subtitles for Ironside s08e17 A Matter Of Life Or Death

Unbelievable and slightly decadent. What
is your appetite, the way you eat? I

was hungry.

I thought eating habits like yours were
characteristic of growing teenagers and

unloved matrons. Together with
overworked, underpaid public servants.

I take it you weren't hungry. What time
is it?

It's a little before nine. They've been
out quite a while.

How do you think it'll go?

Hard to tell.

The evidence was there. The testimony
was there. But... But North was there,

too.

It's uncanny what that man can do in a
courtroom. There ought to be a law.

More coffee?

No, thanks.

Something eating you, Alex?

Well, since you ask, I think Laszlo's
guilty.

So?

So I think we got him off. But he is
guilty.

Well, not unless the judge and jury say
so. It's up to them. You know that.

Do you think he's guilty?

I think you should have some more coffee
and let the jury do their thing.

Trouble with North is that he sees the
law as based on adversary relationships

rather than a search for truth.

You know, I sometimes wonder if it's not
a waste of time and money bringing

suspects to trial with lawyers like
North around.

Fortunately, there aren't too many like
him.

You really don't care, do you?

We have a job to do, Alex, and we're
very good at it. We have a lot of

customers, and we make a lot of money.
Yeah, but are we happy?

Do we sleep well?

Alex, not only are you talented, but
you're like a breath of fresh air.

I'm going to give you a raise.

The jury's coming in.

We find the defendant, Simon Laszlo,
innocent of all charges.

The court thanks the jury for the
conscientious performance of its duty.

The defendant is hereby released from
custody.

Court is adjourned.

Chief, I was telling Alex at dinner how
much I admired you and have for a lot of

years. And I sometimes wondered what it
would have been like if we'd been

friends. One of us would have corrupted
the other.

Well, how could you corrupt anyone,
Chief?

Maybe honesty is a form of corruption.

I'm not sure I like that. You know what
you've done here?

You've gotten 12 honest men and women to
believe in a lie that premeditated

homicide with self -defense.

You gave them a show.

You made them turn their whole moral
world upside down, and you've given a

killer back his hunting license.

You like that, Mr. North?

I thought you weren't hungry.

I wasn't, but now I am. What time is it?

The jury's in, Chief. Oh, that's right.
Your friend Gaynor was going to drop by.

It's nearly 10.

Check the Sussex house, will you please?

See if he left.

Maybe we can hit him off.

Oh, it was 7.

He said between 9 .30 and 10, didn't he?
He must be on his way.

Good evening, Mr.

Gaynor, please.

I see. Thank you. No answer.

What did you mean, hit him off? I
thought you were looking forward to

him. I've known Elliot Gaynor for a long
time.

I've always had mixed emotions about
him.

Now, I'll tell you the truth.

I would rather eat this sandwich and go
to bed than sit around waiting to cut up

touches of old times.

It's ten o 'clock. You'll miss your
appointment.

It doesn't matter.

Elliot, it's getting late. I want to go
home.

You promised we could talk. We have
talked.

You know as well as I do that anything
we had to say was said a long time ago.

Look, you have got to let me see you
once in a while.

Is that too much to ask?

Look, I am my own boss now. I travel a
great deal.

I can get to San Francisco as often as I
like.

Captain's paradise.

What?

I said Captain Paradise. Don't you
remember that movie with Alec Guinness?

He had two wives in different cities.

That's what you want, isn't it? A wife
and family at home and me here, waiting

for the phone to ring.

You had the choice, and you made it.

Susan, wait a minute. Hey, Susan, listen
to me, please.

Don't listen to me.

I love you.

I know it now that I really love you.

And I want to be with you whenever I
can.

Now, what is so complicated about that?

Nothing.

It's simple.

Only it doesn't go anyplace.

And right now, I need something that's
going someplace.

I have to... get my act together.

Isn't that the way the kids say it?

And see, I'm not a kid anymore.

And I won't tell you that I'm not lonely
a lot of the time.

But what you need and what I need are
two entirely different things. Susan.

Elliot, go home to your wife and don't
call me anymore. Wait a minute, please.

That's right. Robert Ironside.

Thank you.

Goodbye.

He left the hotel about nine, hailed a
cab.

Hasn't come back yet. You know, that's
strange.

He wouldn't call if he were delayed or
wanted to cancel.

Well, it's too late for him to show up
now.

I don't know about you, but I'm turning
in. I'll see you in the morning. Right.

Good night. Good night.

That about does it.

Alex, you know I'm giving you the
opportunity of a lifetime.

By the time I get back, you can be in
business for yourself with half my

clients. How do we reach you?

You can't. That's the beauty of
vacations, Alex. You vacate. You vacate

tired old premises and all the tired old
schedules, and you're free associated

with life.

What do you say?

I say you practice in your clients'
estate with me.

Till you get back.

And after that?

We'll see.

I like that. That's a challenge.

Hey, come on. I was just kidding.

All right. You coming?

No, you go on. I'm going to stay here
and have a drink and think about my

vacation. And besides, you have to mind
the store tomorrow.

Have a good time.

Yeah.

Sam. Yeah.

You don't sleep, do you?

And you're not really very happy.

You've got it all and you're not happy.

You're bored.

No, not really.

Just fed up with the predictable.

Good night.

Who is it?

Susan Harmon.

We met at the Stevenson's, remember?

You took me home?

You said we had a lot in common.

Yes.

I remember.

You were going to call me.

Well, I'm sorry. I've been busy.

How have you been?

I have to talk to you.

Why? What for?

Please.

I'll just kill the man.

You sure you don't want a drink or some
coffee?

So then, uh...

Then he moved away with his family and
some time went by before you saw him

again.

That's right.

He began calling me. He said he wanted
to see me, that he still loved me.

So far as you know, his wife never
suspected that you were seeing each

No.

Finally he called, said he was in town,
that he had to talk to me.

He said he had an appointment with an
old friend so he wouldn't have very much

time.

Somehow that made it seem all right.

So I said I'd meet him in the park where
we used to meet once in a while.

Look, why do you have to know this? What
difference does it make he's dead? I

killed him in self -defense. I should
have turned myself in already.

Did you see anyone in the park or hear
anyone?

No. You didn't leave anything behind?

No. Why?

Listen.

You turn yourself in and there's a
hearing. You'll find yourself answering

sorts of questions.

What sort of questions?

Miss Harmon, what was the nature of your
relationship with the deceased?

Why did you agree to meet the deceased
at night alone in the park?

Miss Harmon, were you aware that the
deceased was a married man?

Are you in the habit of having affairs
with a married man? You're making it

sound like some kind of... I'm just
giving you an example of what will

you if you go to the police. Questions,
all kinds of questions. It's possible

you'll have to spend some time in jail.

fingerprints and mug shots.

And when it's all over, there's a good
chance no one will believe you.

Why are you doing this?

Why are you saying these things?

Because they're true.

You came to me for help.

Yes, I want to turn myself in. I thought
you'd advise me, represent me.

I will.

My advice is go home. Do nothing.

I don't understand. I thought you... How
do you visualize the law, Susan, as

some single abstract truth? It's people.

Narrow -minded judges and simple -minded
juries. People who can be manipulated.

All you have to do is wait.

If you have the nerve.

And the patience.

But what about Elliot?

What about him?

Great many murders go unsolved and
unpunished. So unless you have a deep

be punished for an accident... I don't
want to be punished.

Then go home.

Try to go about your business as if it
never happened.

And if you have to talk to someone, call
me.

Yes, that's right.

I see.

Thank you very much.

Hey, you dozing off?

No, just mulling.

Mulling what?

That old friend of the chief's never
filled last night. He didn't call.

Is he worried about him?

Just curious, I think.

Except... Except what?

Well, I checked with the hotel again.

Apparently, he never came back last
night. Never picked up his key.

Well, he had to sleep somewhere.

He's a happily married man, and he
should be. He's married to a beautiful,

intelligent, and altogether
extraordinary woman. Do I detect a note

do. Pure envy.

Thank you.

If you must know, Elliot Gaynor beat my
time with Laura.

Swept her off her feet, married her
right out from under my nose.

Took me a long time to forgive him.

Matter of fact, I may not have forgiven
him yet.

Ah! That's what you meant last night
when you said you had mixed emotions

seeing him. Oh, Chief, there's a front
page story on the Laszlo trial this

morning's paper. They make Norse sound
like William Jennings Bryan.

Let's see it.

You're not going to like it. Why not?
Didn't they spell my name right?

You know, we're not finished with Mr.
Laszlo. We're going to start all over on

him. Build an entirely new case on an
entirely new charge.

Chief, last time it took us nearly six
months to get him into court.

You going somewhere?

Ed, Laszlo's been in the rackets most of
his adult life.

I know it's got him off on a murder
charge, but there's got to be a lot of

and ends about Mr. Laszlo that just
needs some painstaking, thoughtful, and

aggressive police work.

Ed, what is it?

An identified body was discovered in the
park earlier this morning. No wallet,

no identification.

And? On the description, it could be
Elliot Gaynor.

Fran, you come with me. Ed, get over to
Gaynor's hotel and see what you can find

out about him.

Mark, you start on live vote.

these years, I've never gotten used to
going to the morgue.

Was it?

Yes, it was Gaynor.

What'd you get?

Body was found about 5 a .m. by a
jogger.

No watch, no wallet, no rings.

Some signs of a struggle, but nothing
specific.

Gaynor was either slugged or hit his
head when he fell.

No witnesses.

That's the best you can do?

The very best.

You could have called her.

I don't think so.

I don't think I could have called and
said, Hello, Laura, it's Bob Ironside.

Your husband's dead.

No, I guess not.

How long has it been since you've seen
her?

Not since they left San Francisco, and
that was some time ago.

Brian, something on your mind?

Yes.

Gaynor, and what happened last night?

Well... Well, apparently, he left the
hotel and took a cab to meet you.

You said you expected to be free between
9 .30 and 10.

But according to Ed, he left a good hour
sooner than he'd have to to get to the

office on time, so he must have had an
earlier appointment.

And, Chief, do you know why he wanted to
see you? Nothing special, most likely.

He's called before when he was in town.

Anyway, my guess is...

He was mugged on his way to see you
after that meeting.

Unless whoever he met in the park killed
him.

The park at night is kind of a funny
place for a meeting, don't you think?

That depends.

That depends on who the meeting is with,
whether it's business or... Or monkey

business? Yeah, monkey business.

It's so good to see you.

Come in, come in, come in.

I was really surprised when you called
from the airport.

Laura, this is one of my associates,
Fran Belding.

Laura Gaynor. Can I get you a coffee, a
drink or something? Oh, nothing for me.

If I could just freshen up. Oh, yes. Up
there at the first door on the left.

Thank you.

Oh, she's charming.

And discreet. And obvious.

How are you, Laura? How have you been?

I'm fine.

I'm busy with the house, Elliot, the
children.

Oh, Bob, I wish you could see the
children. They're in school. Well, they

beautiful.

They'd have to be.

I am glad you came.

I... Elliot and I think of you very
often.

You know, it's funny you're being here
today.

Elliot's in San Francisco on business.

He was going to call you.

Laura, I have something to tell you.

It's bad news.

About Elliot?

Laura, Elliot's dead.

I'm very sorry.

I had a feeling.

When you called, a strange feeling.

I pushed it to the back of my mind.

What happened, Bob?

We're not sure.

It looked like a mugging.

No wallet.

No watch, no ring.

It hadn't been easy for us.

We've had our ups and downs.

Elliot was so restless.

But I finally thought we had it made.

It wasn't a terribly exciting life. It
was a... It was a simple life.

A good life.

Forgive me, Bob.

It was good of you to tell me. It was
good of you to come here.

Tell me.

There'll be arrangements to make.

You leave the children?

The neighbors.

Is that necessary?

I'm afraid so.

I made the identification, but there may
be some questions.

Questions? I thought it was a mugging.

It's a homicide, Laura.

Will you be there?

Of course.

Yeah, that's him. What do you got?

So far... Billy Joe Rock.

No address, no job, no relative, no
friend.

No money.

Gaynor? You got it.

What's he say? He says he was walking in
the park and saw the body.

He thought the guy was drunk or asleep.

Saw the wallet laying on the ground and
took it.

When the guy didn't move, he took the
watch and rings and beat it.

The cruiser picked him up running out of
the park.

He didn't kill Gaynor?

He says he didn't kill Gaynor.

He's been saying it for about two hours.

Thanks for calling me.

I figured a chief would be interested.

He will be.

You have that brief filed. And then
we'll call Compton at the DA's office

see if he wants to talk a deal on the
murder one and save himself some trial

time. Right.

What's funny?

It's about that vacation you took. You
know, I still can't figure out what made

you change your mind. There's nothing to
figure out. There's no place I wanted

to go. I'm a creature of habit, so I
came back here.

Well, I thought maybe something came up.

Yes.

Did you tell her I was in?

All right, I'll see her.

Uh, Alex, excuse me for a few minutes,
will you? Sure.

Oh, it's Harmon. I'd like to meet my
associate, Alex Benton. How do you do?

Well, this is a surprise.

Is it?

Have you seen the paper?

The police have picked up a suspect for
Elliot's... for the murder.

I see.

I didn't expect that to happen.

Well, neither did I.

But I'm not sure you should have come
here to discuss it. Why not?

Discretion. What are we going to do?

Why do anything?

An innocent man has been picked up.

He's just being held for questioning. He
hasn't even been arraigned yet.

I don't understand.

Well, first he has to be arraigned. And
then there's a preliminary hearing.

If there's insufficient evidence, the
judge can throw out the case.

And since we know he's innocent, that
might very well happen.

All I know is I'm sitting here and he's
sitting in jail because of you.

You came to me, remember?

I gave you an opinion. You didn't have
to accept it, but you did.

You're a grown woman, Susan.

You have to take responsibility for your
actions.

I was frightened.

I'm still frightened, but I'm willing to
take the responsibility now before it's

too late. Well, maybe too late already.

What do you mean?

The police will wonder why you waited.

Well, I'll tell them the truth. I came
to you and you advised me.

When? What? I said when. When did you
come to me?

Well, you know as well as I do.

This is the first time we've seen each
other since the Stevenson's party.

You simply showed up today at my office.

What are you doing?

What's going on?

Look, you're into something I don't
understand.

You frighten me.

You understand, Billy Joe?

It's just a procedure, formality. We
plead not guilty, then the judge sets

date for the hearing.

Okay.

Hi. Morning.

Probably defender's office gets an early
start.

Billy Joe, this is Sergeant Brown. We've
met. How are you, Billy Joe? Okay, I

guess. Scared.

And this is Chief Ironside.

Chief? Listen, I don't want any trouble
with any chief.

I didn't kill anybody. I never did.

He's been telling me what happened.

Do you have any objection to his telling
me, Counselor?

No, none at all. Go ahead, Billy Chip.

No, you don't have to be scared.

I was in the park. I go there a lot, you
know, to walk.

Sometimes when I don't have a room to
sleep, it's nice there.

It's quiet.

And it smells good.

You ever go to the park, mister?

Sometimes.

Yeah.

Well, anyway, I was...

I was walking along, you know, I was
looking for empty bottles.

And sometimes you find empties in the
park and you turn them in.

Once I even found a bracelet.

A lady's bracelet, you know, with a
green stone.

Turquoise.

Yeah, yeah, that's it.

Well, anyway, I saw this pile of clothes
over near the steps, so I went over to

look.

Only it wasn't clothes.

It was a man.

I thought he was asleep or drunk maybe.

His wallet was laying there.

So I took it.

But he didn't move.

He didn't make a sound.

Did you know the man?

No. I never seen him before, honest.

Was there anyone else around? Did you
see anyone else? Only the cops.

I mean the officers that stopped me. Did
you hear anything?

I don't know.

I'm not sure.

Maybe. But what?

What did you hear, Billy Joe?

Nothing, I guess.

Lady, can you help me?

I think so.

I'm going to try.

Good morning, Chief.

Sergeant. Morning.

Mr. Norris, you know Mrs. Sanger, Public
Defender's Office?

By reputation, I hear you're a cop.

I hear the same about you, Mr. Norris.

Well, what happens now that they've
caught the man, the killer?

He'll probably be arraigned, brought to
trial.

You know, he didn't have to kill Elliot
to get that wallet.

What kind of man would do something like
that?

Laura, don't think about it.

I can't help it.

Whatever Elliot was, he... Well, he
tried. He... He struggled

very hard to get where he was.

Children adored him.

He was young and strong.

I can't believe I'll never see him
again.

Hear his voice.

Oh, Bob.

I can't remember his voice.

But we found it.

Part of him's alive, if I can remember.

I'm sorry, Bob.

I'll be all right.

I'm all right now.

Yes.

You're all right.

Elliot was here in San Francisco on
business.

Yes. Do you know who he was planning to
see?

What do you mean? He had business
meetings.

His office would know that.

And he was going to call you. That's all
I know. Why?

What are you getting at?

Well, you have to understand, Laura, so
far the man the police have is just a

suspect. He hasn't been tried or
convicted.

There are bound to be a lot of questions
raised by his attorney.

What kind of questions?

Whether anyone might have reason to want
Elliot dead, who he knew in San

Francisco, what he was doing in the park
alone at that time of night.

What are you getting at?

I'm just trying to...

Prepare you for what's ahead.

You think there's a chance that a man,
Billy Joe Robbins, might get off?

I think that there's a chance that he
didn't

kill Elliot.

And who?

That's something you'll have to think
about, Laura.

Hi, Chief.

Hiya. How's Mrs. Gaynor?

She's fine.

And how are you?

Fine. Just fine.

And you, Mark?

Hard -headed on the Laszlo stuff, Chief.
Beginning to show a couple of

possibilities.

Ed?

Something's come up.

Would you care to discuss it?

The department's begun a routine check
on Gaynor. His friends and associates at

home. They were in town before he moved.

They've turned up a rumor.

What kind of rumor?

Apparently, Gaynor and his wife didn't
get along very well.

There was someone else, a girlfriend.

She and Gaynor saw each other for quite
a while.

Who? No one seems to know. Maybe nobody.

Maybe it's just a lot of gossip.

But if it's not, and if there is
somebody, and it comes out, it could

very difficult for Mrs. Gaynor.

Thank you, friend.

Hello, Miss Harmon. Well, they're going
to arraign him.

Oh, no.

That simply means they'll charge him and
allow him to plead.

But he didn't do it.

Unfortunately, it looks like he did.

Well, that settles it, then.

What are you talking about?

I'm talking about doing what I should
have done in the first place, no matter

what you say.

Well, he could get off at the
preliminary hearing.

Well, how?

Does he have money?

Does he have a high -powered lawyer?

Why not?

What? He'll have excellent
representation.

The best.

The defense waives the reading of the
charges, Your Honor.

Well, how do you plead?

Not guilty, Your Honor.

Mr. Robbins, the charges against you are
extremely serious.

Bail is set accordingly at $100 ,000.

I ain't got it, Your Honor.

No outbursts, please.

If the court please.

Mr. Benton, is it?

Do you have something relevant for these
proceedings?

I do, Your Honor. May I approach the
bench?

Yes.

Court is recessed ten minutes.

The singer with you and Mr.

Carstairs join me in chambers?

Of course, Your Honor.

I don't understand, Bob. What's
happening?

Looks like Billy Joe has found himself a
new attorney.

That's right, Chief.

So far, no apparent connection between
North's office and Billy Joe Robbins.

The first anyone knew about it was right
there in the courtroom.

I don't get it. This is completely out
of North's line. There's no controversy,

no publicity, and no large fee.

You're right.

It's out of character, so there must be
some explanation.

Ed, first thing in the morning, you and
Fran.

See if you can find that explanation.

Are you discriminating, too? I thought
you were back on the Laszlo matter.

Oh, yeah, right.

Well, since you don't need me tonight, I
thought maybe I'd take my wife out to

dinner. Oh, you're right.

Any more customers?

Uh, not me, thanks. Well, as a matter of
fact... Good. I was hoping I'd have her

all to myself. See you.

Bye. Bye -bye.

Well, how are you today, Billy Joe?

Okay, I guess.

Now, you remember when we talked the
other day.

Oh, yeah, with that other lawyer, that
lady?

We asked you if you saw anything that
night in the park, and you said no.

But you seemed less certain when we
asked you if you heard anything.

I don't know.

I'm not sure.

Maybe. Now, think back to what you were
doing that night.

It was cold.

I remember that, and I was hungry, too,
but I didn't have any money, you know.

Night before, I slept in a park, but I
had some wine, so it wasn't so bad.

And you were just walking in the park?

Yeah.

And it was dark.

And something scared me.

The sound?

Yeah.

All right, now think back.

What kind of sound?

Sort of a... a tapping.

A tap -tap. Like a cane.

Sort of.

No, no. It was sharper.

It was like... someone walking fast, but
sharp.

Like a woman walking fast?

Come in. I wasn't expecting to see you
this morning.

We have some things to talk about.

Oh, what?

Billy Joe Robbins and you and Elliot.

Haven't we said it all?

I'm afraid not.

All right.

I, uh... I thought about things as you
asked.

But if that man didn't do it, I don't
know who it could have been. Do you?

I think...

It might have been a woman.

Oh, that's impossible.

How can you be so sure?

Well, how many women muggers do you hear
about?

But if it wasn't a mugging, if it was
someone he knew... I

don't like what you're saying, Bob, and
I don't like you for saying it.

It is possible, isn't it, Laura?

No.

No, there was never a woman. Never?

Why are you doing this?

Whoever killed Elliot has to be caught.
He has been.

Caught and punished.

No matter who it hurts.

All right. All right, Bob, suppose
you're right.

Why would Elliot be meeting a woman in
the park?

How do I explain that to our children?

He was seeing someone, wasn't he?

Oh, it's a long time ago. It was over a
long time ago.

They were careful in a way.

But I knew.

I began checking up on him.

One day I followed him from his office
at lunchtime.

And I saw him meet her.

Very attractive.

I died when I saw how attractive she
was.

So I followed them to a... small hotel.

And I waited.

I was so ashamed of hiding there like a
thief.

I don't know how long.

And then they came out and he... he took
her to Paley, that big department

store, and left her.

They shook hands like friends.

And he walked away.

Was that the only time you ever saw her?

No.

No, um... A week later, I went back to
Paley's and

wandered through. I saw her talking to
someone. She was, uh...

She was wearing a smock and one of those
nameplates.

She worked there.

And you never mentioned it to Elliot?

No, I was afraid.

Bob, it was over.

I thought it was over.

Do you think she was with him that night
and she killed him?

I think it's possible, Laura.

How could she kill him if she loved him?

Do you know her name?

Yes, that's right.

No, we'll need them by next Tuesday.

They've been backordered for months.

Yes. All right, fine. Thank you.

Miss Harmon?

Susan Harmon?

Yes? My name is Ironside.

I'd like to talk with you.

And so the defense contends that the
crime could have been committed by a

or persons unknown, if indeed the crime
of murder was committed at all.

The defense does not deny that the
defendant found the deceased's body and

robbed him. But we do challenge the
state's contention that no one else

have committed the murder.

In fact...

The murder could have been committed by
any one of a number of untold persons

who roam our parks and our streets at
night, people in whom violence is just a

spark away from us.

Our case is as old as the law itself.
It's the heart and soul of justice,

reasonable doubt.

Billy Joe Robbins is a human being over
whose life and death you have sole

power.

I beg you to use that power wisely.

Your Honor.

Your Honor, I beg the court's
indulgence, but I have new evidence

have a bearing on this case.

I killed him in self -defense.

I want to turn myself in.

What's going on, Sam? Who is she?

She's our witness, Alex.

I think I've just won my last case.

If my hunch is right, Mr. Laszlo will be
on his way back to court.

Before you do them more damage.

And this time he won't have Sam North to
defend him.

No, I'm afraid Mr. North will have his
hands full for quite a while, even

the lawyer represents himself as a fool
for a client.

Why do you suppose he did it, Chief?
Because he's never done it before.

I hope I'm not interrupting anything.
No, no. Come in. Come in.

You know everyone here. Good evening.
Hello.

We're just going, Chief.

Yes. See you in the morning, Chief?

Oh, me too. I've got to go home and wash
my hands. Good night.

Mrs. Gaynor, I hope you'll excuse me,
too. It's not very often I get a night

off. Good night.

Well, you're really like a family,
aren't you?

Yes. Yes, we are.

If you remember your Latin, all Gaul was
divided into three parts.

Fortunately or unfortunately, I'm
divided into four.

So, you've made a life for yourself.

Yes.

Obviously a good one.

I think so.

That's what I'm going to do, Bob.

I'm very glad.

Well, I have a cab waiting downstairs, a
plane to catch.

I'll show you the way.

No, that's all right, Bob.

I can find my way.