All language subtitles for matlock_s05e20_the_trial_2

He was a law clerk?

Terry Lasher. I met him that day at the
courthouse. I had no idea that's who I

was talking to.

Makes sense, though. Two of the suspects
are judges. The other one's an

attorney. Yeah, I guess he stumbled onto
whatever it is they're up to and didn't

know what to do about it.

Should've just turned him in.

Bad career move.

Nobody likes a whistleblower but the
press.

Wouldn't have tipped him off.

I think I did.

You did?

I must have shaken them up so bad today
they started following me.

I recognized him, figured out what was
going on, and shot him.

I just found the slug.

38 caliber.

Lab will know quick enough whether it
came from the same gun that killed

Wright.

Did you check up on Tom O 'Hara?

I sent a unit to his house as soon as I
got your call.

He was there. Said he had... Come home
at 7 and been there ever since.

Alone.

I don't suppose he told you where he was
the night Howard Wright was murdered.

Working in his office.

Alone.

So what do we do now?

I'm damn fine though, Conrad. I guess we
just keep doing what he said.

Look for the money.

Here's another one.

$370 ,000 was deposited into the Conner
Corporation account on 8 -28 -90.

That makes close to $3 million, all
coming into the company within the last

three years.

But where's it coming from?

It has to be money they've gotten
illegally.

Maybe they're using the Conner
Corporation to launder it.

Well, we're talking about judges and
attorneys here, not drug dealers.

I mean, what could they be into that
involves that kind of money?

Anybody want more coffee?

Yeah, I do. Thanks.

What do you have?

Sam Bergstrom. Who's Sam Bergstrom?

Connor Corporation wrote him a lot of
big checks.

Every time Tom O 'Hare and David Bennett
got one, he got one too.

Only his were for deposit only into an
account at the South Security Bank of

Savannah.

How much gas you got in your car?

Superior Court is now in session.

The Honorable Judge Diana Levin is
cited.

Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, have
you reached a verdict?

Yes, Your Honor, we have.

The jury finds for the plaintiff on all
causes of action, damages for lost

profits are found in the amount of $2 .2
million, for general damages in the

amount of $5 million, and for punitive
damages in the amount of $1 .3 million.

Thank you.

There's been a long, hard case.

We appreciate your performing your civic
duties. You are discharged.

This court will stand in recess until 2
o 'clock.

I can't believe it.

I still can't believe it. We did it. We
won the case.

You deserve to win, Jim. It's called
justice.

You think they'll appeal?

They might, but I doubt it. $8 million
for Maxwell Toys is not that much money.

It may be cheaper for them just to pay
off.

You know about that letter? No, that
doll was your idea.

You sent them a letter, and they stole
what was in it, right?

Right. You are entitled to the money,
Jim.

So there's no need to talk about that
letter now or ever again.

Okay? Okay.

You take care.

Hey,

Mr. O 'Hare.

Congratulations.

Thanks. Yeah.

What's your usual contingency? One
-third?

Boy, hell,

you just made nearly $3 million in
there.

Is this what a special prosecutor does
all day, Mr. Matlock?

Hangs around the courthouse harassing
people?

Oh, no, no, no. I never harass people
unless I'm thinking of prosecuting them.

Now, I told you before, I barely knew
Howard Wright.

Maybe that's why you killed him.

Maybe you weren't sure of how he would
react when the police started

him about that evidence that he
misplaced in the Jimmy Giles case.

You're out of your mind. I know about
the money you've been getting from the

Conner Corporation, you and Judge
Bennett.

And when I find out why you've been
getting it, I may just come after you

the murder of Terry Lashley. All right,
that's it.

I've had it with cops showing up on my
doorstep every time somebody dies in

town, and I've had it with you.

If I hear you've repeated this
preposterous story to anyone, I'll thaw

defamation suit that will leave you
financially crippled for life.

Do you hear me?

I think everybody in the parking lot
heard you.

No.

it, please.

I'm too old for this. Will you stop it?

Stop it.

Hey, wait a minute.

Hey, sir.

Is his bark worse than his bite?

Actually, his bite's pretty bad.

Do you take him a walk every night at
this time?

Well, it's good to keep a dog on
schedule. Makes things more predictable.

7 .53 p .m. every night.

Bethany's lawn, come rain or come shine.

Hey.

Last Wednesday night, when you passed
the Wright's house over there, did you

or hear anything out of the ordinary?

Last Wednesday night.

The night Howard Wright was killed.

No. No, I'm sorry. You did see
something.

Wait a minute.

Who are you?

My name is Ben Matlock. I'm a lawyer.

Well, I don't want to get involved.

If you saw something, you have to get
involved.

It's your duty.

I just don't want some killer coming
after me next.

That won't happen.

That won't happen. I promise.

Mr.

O 'Hare?

Mr. O 'Hare, you're under arrest for the
murder of Howard Wright.

What? We have an eyewitness who saw you
leaving the scene of the crime.

That's it, Matlock. You were warned and
you're going to pay.

Just come with us, Mr. O 'Hare.

That's it, Mr. O 'Hare. You can't have
enough practice insurance to cover the

charges I'm going to bring against you.
Your career is over, Mr. Matlock.

You'll never make another mistake.

You're going to die.

You're going to die.

You'll never make another mistake.

You'll get over it.

Wild gets used to sitting over here.

Who's Mr. O 'Hare got defending him?

Chester Gaddis, member of the bar in
five states, hasn't lost a murder one

yet.

There's something I want you to find out
about him.

How much he charges.

Yeah.

Moving right along to the matter of
bail.

Does the, uh...

prosecution have any recommendations?

Ah, yes, sir.

Not only has the defendant been charged
with the heinous crime of premeditated

murder, but he is considerably wealthy
and has no family to bind him to the

community. The defense prosecution
therefore recommends bail be set at one

million dollars.

Defense?

My client has been accused of a heinous
crime, yes, but proven guilty, no.

Not only has he been an officer of the
court for 15 years, but his

to various philanthropic activities have
made him a pillar of the various

community the state would now have you
believe he wishes to flee.

I see no risk here, whatever.

I recommend bail not exceed $100 ,000.

I tend to agree, Mr. Ganders.

Bill is set at $100 ,000.

Thank you, Your Honor.

He's good.

Your dress is funny.

Hi.

I'm looking for Sam Bergstrom.

What can I do for you?

You're Sam Bergstrom?

The one that has an account over at the
South Security Bank?

Life is too short to be writing Samantha
out all the time.

Who are you?

I'm Russell Yeager, ma 'am. I'm from the
IRS.

May I come in?

Invite somebody from the biggest group
of crooks in the country into my home?

Not in your life.

Well, I need to ask you a few questions,
ma 'am.

Go ahead.

We know some rather large checks from
the Conner Corporation up in Atlanta

been deposited in your account over the
last couple of years. Are you an

employee of theirs?

No. Well, then why are they paying you
all that money, ma 'am?

Why do you want to know? Well, there
have been some irregularities at the

Corporation.

We're auditing all their expenditures.

You're not auditing me. You? No. No.

That money belongs to my niece.

Your niece?

Yes. Her accountant suggested that she
keep it in my name for tax purposes.

I don't understand all the ins and outs,
but I'm sure it's quite legitimate in

view of her job and all.

Which is what?

She's a judge.

Judge Diana Levin.

Got your message. What's up?

I'm a bad man, Your Honor.

I'm the one who slipped your clerk that
note.

We need to talk.

Yes.

An associate of mine spoke to your aunt
down in Savannah today, and you've been

getting payoffs from the Connor
Corporation, just like Judge Bennett

Tom O 'Hare.

Those aren't payoffs. Those are
consulting fees.

I don't think so.

I think the three of you...

are using the Connor Corporation to hold
and distribute money that you've come

by illegally.

You are dead wrong. I know your scheme
has something to do with Maxwell Toys.

And when the truth comes out in court,
and it will, you'll go down right along

with Mr. O 'Hare. So unless prison is
something you're just dying for, if I

you, I'd tell me what's going on right
now.

You called this meeting to offer us a
deal? One time only.

Oh, and to give you this.

Rapina, you are wasting your time and
mine.

Well, I don't have anything more to say
to you either.

Okay.

I guess I'll see you both in court.

Joe.

To be honest, I'm not sure why I'm here.

Please.

Some wine? No, thank you.

Michelle.

Michelle, I, uh... I swear to you, I
didn't have anything to do with Howard

Wright's murder.

I didn't do it, and I don't know who
did.

You've got to tell Ben Matlock to back
off before he ruins me.

That's why you asked me to come here?

I meant something to you once, Michelle.

I don't deserve this, and you know it.

Just tell him the truth. Tell him it
wasn't me. I can't believe you try to

me like that.

What choice do I have?

My back's against the wall. I can't do
anything else.

You can tell it the truth.

I am, I swear.

The money you get from the Connor
Corporation.

Where did it come from?

I'm sorry. If you want it to help you,
you're going to have to tell it the

truth.

You, uh... You've turned into one tough
lady, Michelle.

I'm not sure it becomes you.

David, you're in a great deal of
trouble.

I'd like to help you.

Not to you.

What did you see?

When you walked your dog past Howard
Wright's house that night, Mr. Spalding,

saw a man rushing out of the garage,
jump into his car, and go tearing out of

there. And is the man you saw that night
in this courtroom today?

Oh, yeah.

He's sitting right over there.

Let the record show that the witness has
pointed to the defendant, Tom O 'Hare.

You remember what time it was you saw
him? Around 8 o 'clock.

You sure?

Positive. It's always around that time
that Otis and I pass the Wright's house.

It's good to keep a dog on schedule.

Yes, you told me that.

So you're sure the man you saw leaving
the scene of the crime at about 8 o

'clock, which the coroner has
established to be the approximate time

murder, you're sure that man was the
defendant Tom O 'Hare?

Positive.

Thank you.

Cross -examine.

Mr.

Spalding.

Where were you and Otis the night you
saw this person leaving

the garage?

At the end of the driveway.

And could you see his face clearly after
he entered the car?

No.

So the only time you saw him was after
he exited the garage and just

before he entered the car. Is that
correct? Right.

And approximately what distance was it
from the garage to the car?

Oh, maybe ten feet.

And approximately how long did it take
him to cover that distance?

Six, seven seconds.

Six seconds?

To cover ten feet?

I thought you said he was in a hurry.

Well, uh... Maybe three, four seconds.

Three seconds. Tops. I timed it.

I also measured the distance from the
end of the driveway to the garage.

That's 38 yards.

Does that sound about right to you?

I guess so.

Can you guess how many lights
illuminated the garage door?

Two, three, one.

How's your eyesight, Mr. Spalding? You
wear glasses?

Only for reading.

So your vision isn't exactly perfect.
No, it's not perfect, but I don't find

Did you happen to catch the license
plate on the car that night, Mr.

No. Did you catch the make of the car?

No.

How about the color?

Color?

Beige, yellow, something like that.

How about the man's clothes? What color
were they?

Dark.

Dark.

Mr. Spalding, I don't doubt you saw
someone that night.

But whoever it was.

You saw him from a distance of 38 yards
by the light of a single 40 -watt

bulb for a grand total of maybe three
seconds.

He can't remember what his car looked
like. He can't remember what his clothes

were like.

Mr. Spalding, you can't say for sure
that was my client, can you?

I guess I can't.

Thank you.

I hate him.

I don't.

He reminds me of you.

Michelle, he's sneaky, conniving,
deceitful. That's the cruelest thing you

said to me. Oh, Ben, I just meant he's
good, that's all. I mean, you gotta give

him that.

Like hell I do.

He's not good.

Okay. He's probably the best beating the
devil out of us.

I'm ready to cut a deal.

You've known the defendant for how long?

About ten years.

Friends?

They're not close friends, more like
business associates.

What kind of business, Judge Bennett?

A couple of years ago, shortly after I
was appointed presiding judge, Tom O

'Hare came to me with a proposition.

He said if I'd assign myself to a multi
-million dollar lawsuit that he'd...

just filed and use all my powers as
presiding judge to see to it that the

ruled in his client's favor, he would
split his one -third of the

judgment with me.

So that's what we did.

Did it work?

So well that we did it again.

Many times.

Do you mean to tell me that a judge can
actually fix a trial?

Well, it's a...

Obviously a very subtle thing, but...
Yes? Weren't you afraid that somebody

would catch on to your scheme?

Very. That's why we eventually got a
second judge involved.

Judge Diane Eleven?

Yes.

Instead of assigning all these cases to
myself, I was able to assign some to

her. That way, I could avert suspicion.

Go ahead.

She had a friend named Glenn Connor
who... owned a holding company, the

Corporation.

I'm showing you a ledger which was
seized by search warrant from

the Conner Corporation offices and which
by stipulation with counsel will be

marked People's Exhibit 37 and entered
into evidence.

Now, how was the money laundered?

After winning a judgment, Tom would
instruct his client to...

Pay as usual, one -third contingency fee
in the form of a cashier's check made

payable to a bank in the Bahamas.

Like these three checks here for $125
,000 to each of you.

Yes.

And that was ostensibly for consulting
work.

That's correct.

But you never did any consulting work
for them, did you?

No.

Now this... This check here, I hear, for
$75 ,000, made out to

Howard Wright. What was that for? That
was his payment for losing a vital piece

of evidence in a case he was prosecuting
against Jimmy Giles, the man accused of

breaking into Maxwell Toys.

And who directed the Connor Corporation
to make the payment?

Tom O 'Hare.

He was protecting Giles, whom he'd hired
to plant evidence for him.

How do you know?

He told me.

Did he tell you anything else?

Yes, he did.

He told me that he was afraid that
Howard would break down and confess if

confronted by the police.

Oh.

Oh, and if that had happened, what would
have happened to Mr. O 'Hare?

He would have been disbarred and
probably gone to prison.

But that never happened, did it?

Instead, Howard Wright was murdered.

Nothing further.

Does defense wish to cross?

I've been sitting here quietly, Judge
Bennett, because I've been waiting

for proof.

And the problem is that you don't have
any.

I mean, you can't prove...

that my client was involved in this
ingenious plan of yours, can you?

Of course I can. Just look at that
ledger.

Oh. Well, this doesn't prove that my
client never did any consulting work for

the Connard Corporation, does it? Well,
I know I didn't.

I don't give a damn if you took money
under false pretenses, Judge Bennett.

The question is, can you prove that my
client did?

Well, can you prove that he paid Howard
Wright to deliberately lose a

piece of evidence?

No, but he... Oh, but can you prove that
he told you that he was afraid Howard

Wright was going to get him disbarred?
No, but... No, but you cannot prove

a single word of your testimony against
my client.

You certainly haven't offered any
evidence that would involve him in

Wright's death.

Nor can you offer such evidence, can
you?

Judge Bennett.

It's what happened.

Just because I can't prove it doesn't
mean it isn't true.

Were you supposed to take your word for
it?

Yes.

I think not.

No further questions.

Witness may step down.

Yeah.

Ben, Bob Brooks just got this from the
police lab.

This is inexcusable.

Mr. Matlock has had the police
department at his full disposal since

For them to produce evidence on his
behalf this late in the day, it's

outrageous.

Mr. Gaddis is absolutely correct, Your
Honor. The police lab took way too long

to complete this analysis.

I wish we could have gotten it to him
much earlier.

Well, I just resent being thrown a curve
this halfway through a trial.

You had full disclosure, Mr. Gaddis, and
you knew they were running tests.

A half -day recess should give you ample
time to work the result into your

defense.

Now, let's get back in there.

We'll put your witness on the stand, Mr.
Matlock, and then recess till tomorrow.

I don't like this one bit.

I don't blame you.

Lieutenant Brooks, when the police
arrived at Howard Wright's house the

night of the murder, they found a fresh
puddle of transmission fluid outside his

garage. Is that correct?

Yes, we did.

Where did it come from?

A comparative analysis performed after
the defendant was arrested shows it came

from his car.

Meaning the defendant's car was parked
outside his garage that night?

Yes. Doesn't necessarily mean the
defendant was in the garage, though,

No, but we also found a varnish on the
floor of Howard Wright's workshop that

night. Apparently it had spilled during
the shooting.

Forensics has isolated traces of that
exact same varnish on the fibers of the

floor mat on the driver's side of the
defendant's car.

as well as on the bottoms of his shoes.

In other words, the defendant was in
Howard Wright's garage the night of the

murder, wasn't he? Objection.

Calls for a conclusion.

Withdraw the question.

Thank you, Lieutenant Brooks.

Nothing further.

Mr. Gattis?

No question.

Witness may step down.

This court is in recess until 9 a .m.
tomorrow.

You lied to me, Tom.

Chester, I didn't kill him.

You were there.

The jury knows you were there. I was
there.

But I swear I didn't kill him. The whole
subject of my case was proving that you

weren't there.

I discredited the eyewitnesses. I
discredited the police.

And now I look like a fool.

But you, Tom, you look like you're
guilty.

What do we do now?

I'm putting you on the stand.

Is that a good idea?

It's the only idea.

I don't want to put any pressure on you,
but this better be the greatest

performance of your life.

Because if it's not, you'll spend the
rest of your life in prison.

Everything David Bennett said is true.

I conspired with him and Judge Levin to
fix the outcome of certain cases.

And I paid Howard Wright to lose the
case against someone who was

in my winning a multi -million dollar
lawsuit.

But I did not kill him.

What were you doing in his workshop that
night?

Well, he was afraid the police were on
to him, so he asked me for $100 ,000 to

leave town.

So I got the money, and I stopped by at
8 to deliver it like we'd arranged.

Only when I got there, he was dead.

Somebody else had shot him.

I swear under oath that I did not kill
Howard Wright.

Thank you.

Mr. Matlock?

So... So you paid Howard Wright to lose
the

evidence in a case against Jimmy Giles.
Is that right?

I already said that, yes.

Well, you had a very good reason to kill
him. I mean, if he had gone to the

police, why...

You would have been ruined, wouldn't
you?

Yes. So you were paying him off.

What would keep him from asking for
another $100 ,000?

Nothing. So you couldn't be sure.

I mean, you couldn't be sure he wouldn't
ask for more. You couldn't be sure he

wouldn't go to the police. So you did
the only thing you could be sure of. You

went to his house that night, didn't
you?

Yes or no.

Yes, I went to his house. And you killed
him? No.

He was dead when I got there. I swear.

So just like your counselor said to my
witness yesterday, we're just supposed

take your word for it. Yes.

I left the money there.

You what?

I was so frightened when I saw him that
I ran away without the money.

You left $100 ,000?

The first thing I saw when I went in was
him on the floor.

I thought he flipped in the varnish and
hit his head.

I put my briefcase down and went over to
him.

Then I saw the blood.

All of a sudden, the alarm on his watch
went off.

I ran out of there as fast as I could.

I didn't even remember the money till
the next morning.

There was no briefcase found, let alone
$100 ,000.

Well, that may be.

But I left it there.

Mr. Matlock?

Are you finished?

Your Honor, I'd like to ask for a recess
till tomorrow

morning. We just had a recess, Mr.
Matlock. Do you have any idea how

this court is?

It's personally a good honor.

I don't feel so good.

It must be something I ate for
breakfast.

This court is in recess until 9 .30 a
.m. tomorrow.

You all right?

I'm fine.

I just had to make sure he gave me the
recess.

But you had that guy. Why'd you stop?

Because he's telling the truth.

The truth?

Ben, that story about the money is
crazy.

That's why he's got to be telling the
truth.

I don't remember seeing a briefcase.

What did you do after you walked in and
found your husband?

I ran into the house, called 911.

And I stayed in the house until the
police came.

And you don't remember seeing or picking
up a briefcase?

All I remember is seeing my husband
lying there, dead.

I'm sorry.

I got it.

I got the money right here.

I just got a call from a man who said he
was a special prosecutor or something

up there in Atlanta.

Ben Matlock?

Yes, Ben Matlock.

Anyway, he asked me about the $100 ,000
you just wired to your account down

here.

I mean, you know, our account.

What do you want to know?

Where the money came from.

What did you tell him?

I didn't know.

That's all I could tell him.

Uh, dear.

Is everything all right with you?

Everything's fine, Aunt Sam.

It's nothing.

But thank you for calling. And if he
calls you again, you let me know, okay?

All right, dear.

Goodbye, dear.

Bye.

The first -in -hand delivered some
documents to Frank Scansley. Where's his

office? They're doing the right.

Be seated.

Well, did breakfast agree with you this
morning, Mr. Matlock? Oh, very well,

Your Honor, very well.

Good.

Mr. Gaddis, next witness.

Your Honor, the state would like to
reopen its case in order to present an

additional witness. I've already spoken
to Mr. Gaddis.

Mr. Gaddis?

I have no objections, Your Honor.

Very well. Call your witness.

The state calls Judge Diane Eleven.

Approximately how much money did this
conspiracy between you and Tom O 'Hare

Judge Bennett net you over the years?

What conspiracy is that?

The same conspiracy that Tom O 'Hare and
Judge Bennett admitted to in this

courtroom. I don't know anything about
it.

Okay.

You have an aunt named...

Samantha Bergstrom down in Savannah,
don't you?

Yes, I do.

And there are deposits that you make
into her bank account and

she does not. Is that correct?

My aunt is elderly.

I worry about her, so I send money that
I earn as a consultant to her bank in

case of emergency.

Come on now, come on.

Sam Bergstrom.

$125 ,000.

Sam Bergstrom, $110 ,000.

Sam Bergstrom, $95 ,000.

That's exactly the same amount of money
that Tom O 'Hare and David Bennett got.

And they admitted in this courtroom that
they were payoffs. Not consultant fees.

Payoffs. I can only speak for myself,
Mr. Matlock.

That money...

was for services I rendered as a legal
consultant.

I subpoenaed the records of your aunt's
bank

account, and all the deposits that were
made match exactly the checks

the Connor Corporation made out to her.
All except this last one, this last one

here. $100 ,000.

Deposited. The day after Howard Wright
was murdered. Where'd that come from?

That was money I was keeping in a safe
deposit box.

Are you sure it wasn't the money Tom O
'Hare left in Howard Wright's workshop?

I'm positive.

What if Howard Wright had told the
police about this conspiracy that Tom O

roped him into?

That would have been the end of your
career, too, wouldn't it?

Again. I don't know anything about a
conspiracy.

Did Tom O 'Hare tell you he was going
over to Howard Wright's

house at 8 o 'clock that night?

No.

He told me he did.

Must have lied.

You sure you didn't get there ahead of
him and shoot Howard Wright to death?

And then when Tom O 'Hare arrived ahead
of schedule...

You hid so he wouldn't see you, didn't
you? No.

And then after he went tearing out of
there, you thought, well, why waste all

this money on a dead man?

So you took it and deposited it in your
aunt's account, didn't you?

No. Bet you wish you hadn't done that.

That's what put us on to you.

Mistake.

She should have kept that cash and
bought some new shoes or a robe or

Now, see you watch.

Oh, it's got one of those alarms that
goes off every hour.

Another mistake.

You should have left this at home.

Howard Wright didn't have a watch like
this.

Neither did Tom O 'Hare. It was your
watch that went off that night, wasn't

Thousands of people have a watch like
this. That doesn't prove a thing.

But now, a murder weapon.

There would be proof.

There would be proof.

The gun that killed Howard Wright and a
law clerk named Terry Lasher. The

riflings on both bullets and both
murders match exactly.

Unfortunately, the gun has never been
found.

That is, until yesterday.

The police found it in a desk drawer in
the defendant's office.

Then why on earth am I up here?

Because you put it there.

I called your aunt down in Savannah
about that $100

,000.

She called you, didn't she?

And then you did just what I figured
you'd do when you figured I was getting

close.

You killed two birds with one stone.

You got rid of the murder weapon and you
did it in such a way as to strengthen

the case against the defendant, didn't
you?

No.

You ever see yourself on TV, Judge
Levin?

We had TV cameras hidden all over Mr. O
'Hare's office.

But this is my favorite angle right
here.

It shows his desk real clearly.

And there you are. See?

Isn't that you?

Hiding that unregistered gun in his
desk.

The gun that killed Howard Wright and
Terry Lasher.

Why?

So no one would ever know a person

We really killed them.

Was you.

Very nice, Mr. Matlock. Back at you.

Mr. O 'Hare has asked me to inquire.

Whether you would represent him in his
forthcoming trial for obstruction of

justice, fraud, and about 12 other
felony counts.

Oh. Why don't you do it?

I've had about all I can take of Mr. O
'Hare.

Me too.

Nice suit.

Nice tie.