Original subtitles

Ovi?

Come on, Roland.

I'll be back by kiss.

Wait alone.

Hey.

You want another snort, Ovi? Go ahead.

He said 400.

What's the matter?

I don't know.

What do you mean you don't know? I've been thinking.

Thinking about what?

My whole life.

I thought you could take one look at my face in that courtroom and figure

somehow I could...

I'm going to stay on it.

I'm going to listen.

And if I think the old boy killed the other fellow, I'm going to say

Give me two more days, and I'll see if I can raise another hundred.

Well, it ain't no money. It's just... All right.

Shut up and listen to me.

We made a bargain.

That's my son's life you'll be dealing with.

When the time comes, you're going to vote not guilty. Do you hear?

I don't care how much it costs me.

I sure don't care how much it costs you.

I'm not guilty.

That's what I want.

That's what I'm paying for.

And that's what I'm going to get.

Well, this is what you're going to get, Owens.

The FBI.

A Quinn Martin production starring Ephraim Zimbalist Jr.

Also starring Philip Abbott, William Reynolds, with guest stars

R .G. Armstrong,

Pilar Surratt, Mario Alcalde, Kent

Smith,

And Norma Crane as Dottie.

Tonight's episode, Blood Verdict.

United States Attorney Leonard Van Atten, the death of juryman Ben Alvey on

eve of a murder trial seemed more than coincidental.

Yet Alvey had been employed as a furnace tender at the mill.

He'd been on duty, and the pit he'd fallen into had been badly lit.

Everything except Van Atten's own sixth sense indicated Alvey's death had been

an accident.

It didn't end there.

With the concurrence of Judge Warren Clay, Venata called the FBI.

Jerry, see you in two weeks.

Goodbye, Inspector.

Have a good time.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Don't let him get away.

He's gone.

Now, Art, didn't anyone ever tell you not to talk alongside a trout stream?

Well, that's the trouble with trout.

They're skittish overrod prima donnas, most of them. Now, you take salmon. No,

thanks. Oh, salmon.

Real battlers, salmon.

Did you ever fish the Columbia in Oregon?

Art, I've got my whole vacation planned.

Well, it's going to be a revelation to you, Lewis. What in the world would I be

doing in the... What did you say?

I know you've been counting on a vacation, Lewis.

The years all seem to turn into 13 months for 32 days each, don't they?

But we've got a bad one, and I want you to handle it.

I was serious about the salmon, though.

What's the classification?

72.

Obstruction of justice and suspicion of jury tampering.

Uh, go ahead.

Where in Oregon?

Big timber country.

Cougar City.

He can go in as a reporter or a salesman or whatever you like. Why the cover?

Well, it's a pretty tricky business.

The U .S. attorney up there has a young lumberman named Lon Owens on trial for

murder. He's accused of shooting a federal game warden who wanted to

him on a poaching charge.

Now one of the jury has turned up dead.

Trial is still in progress.

But if there is some attempt to suborn the jury up there, the judge and Van

want to know about it. And so does Mr. Hoover.

You know, Owens has got a constitutional right to a fair trial.

But the people have a right, too.

The key word here is fair.

What have we got in the principles?

Pictures and a pattern I want to talk to you about.

Get the drapes for you, Lou.

That's Lon Owens, the defendant, age 24.

In and out of jail and disturbing the peace in ADW charges since he was 16.

He's pleading self -defense and temporary insanity.

And he had a doe lashed across his car when he was arrested.

That's the defendant's brother, Jack Owens, age 28.

Six months ago, he beat up a local girl and then shipped out on a Venezuelan

tanker before he could be arrested.

We're checking his current whereabouts.

George Owens, their father, age 47.

Half a dozen arrests, no felony convictions.

He's supposed to be one of the best high -top men in the timber business.

It's a Saturday night brawler with a two -state tavern reputation.

and portrait.

One for all and all for one, huh?

That's right.

The three musketeers out west.

Well, what do you think?

I'll leave this afternoon.

Have Tom follow tonight. Tell him not to forget his fishing tackle.

Hang on.

Why? What's the point?

I don't have a chance now.

I'm just, I'm going to plead guilty. Just get the whole thing over with. Get

I'll do what I tell you.

Oh, Papa, it is ended.

Nothing's ended.

As long as you got the strength to kick, you're still a man. And no man named

Owens is going to lay down and quit just because he's a little tired.

I've pulled you out of worse scrapes than this.

What do you mean?

Worse?

This is not the drunk tank. It's Kapoos.

That government attorney's going to hand me that death penalty if he wins. Keep

your voice down. He won't win.

Listen, Papa, we're not dealing with... He won't win.

I had her fixed

once.

That's what makes me so blasted mad.

What'd you pick a stumble bum like him for anyway?

Trips over rail in his own mill.

Oh, old Surefoot.

Boy, he must have been tight as a tick.

Oh, Papa.

You gotta help me.

They shove a plate of food in here like they're feeding hogs. They won't let me

walk around except twice a day.

I know. I'm working on it, Lon. Listen, I got some good news.

I didn't want to tell you, but maybe you need it.

I won't be working on this alone.

Jack called.

You kidding me? No.

Well, where is he? On his way. He jumped ship in Galveston. Now, we got a thing

worked out for him to stay out of sight.

What are you cooking, Papa?

You still just need one hole out to make it a hung jury, right?

You mean you're going to try somebody else?

Yeah, but no more stumble bombs.

I'll study over that panel like it was a grove of ponderosa pine.

See which way each one leans. Which might fall easy.

I'll find one.

And that's all we need. Just the one.

Beautiful.

Beautiful, beautiful.

25 cents.

30.

That's okay. That's a freebie.

Lizzie, it's hard. I keep forgetting. I can't help it.

35.

Oh, all right.

All right, all right.

Crazy rule.

What's crazy? I mean, we're not in Cuba. How's the baby going to learn English?

How's the baby going to hear?

Why don't we wait until he's at least... Born.

Born.

Born. You need to practice.

See, after the baby is born...

Every Spanish word is going to cost you 10 cents.

How do you feel?

You don't care.

Oh, I care. I care.

Is he kicking?

All the time. Cha -cha -cha.

Oh, that's English.

Cha -cha -cha. They say that too.

Okay. When do we... Ten minutes.

Where have you been? I was beginning to get a little worried.

I had the funeral.

Mr. Ovi.

They let the whole jury go to it.

And then they see the alternate.

And the testimony took longer than usual.

You know.

Louise? What?

What are you... What do you think about this man, Lorne Owens?

Is he guilty?

Come on, Anita.

What's the matter?

I'm not supposed to talk about the case. I told you that.

Even to your own wife?

Just what you think?

What I think, wife, is that I'm a citizen now.

And this man is on trial, and I should help give him the best trial I can.

So if the judge says, Mr. Nevis, don't talk because you might hurt this man.

Then I don't think I should talk.

I mean to my wife, to God, to anybody.

You know what I mean?

Anna? Yeah?

My name's Erskine.

Oh, yes, Mr. Erskine.

I've been expecting you.

You won't be able to hear us. The acoustics in this room are terrible. Sit

Yeah.

Did you, uh, get the autopsy report?

Oh, yes.

Harvey died of injuries received in the fall of the mill.

No signs of violence prior to that.

Well, nothing that couldn't be explained by the fall.

What about his medical history? Was he subject to fainting spells?

No record of it.

Well, there was one peculiarity.

He was sober.

We had a bottle with him at the time of the accident.

But there was no sign of alcohol in the bloodstream.

Was he in the habit of drinking on duty?

No, never.

So, something unusual might have been in the wind that night to make him edgy.

Maybe.

I'd like to take a look at the mill, Mr. Van Etten.

Fine. I'll call the foreman for you, a fellow called Joe Taylor.

Any good trout streams out that way?

Well, there's Telford Creek.

Is it quiet or off the beaten path?

Like the end of the world.

Joe Taylor can direct you. Good. Thanks very much. Oh, by the way, if another

fisherman should ask you that question, you might recommend the same place.

Would this other fisherman work for the FBI, too?

Just tell him that the fishing ought to be especially good around 6th afternoon.

Be glad to.

Good luck.

Hello.

Hello?

Hello, Papa?

Son of a gun. You made it, huh?

Where are you?

I'm up at Clinger's, up near the Ridge Road.

You get my letter?

You bet your life.

Hey, what kind of a name is that, that Nevis?

Neavies. Cuban.

You sure he's our boy?

His wife's pregnant.

If he won't scare her, she will.

Right.

Can I get you to find the house?

Sure, there's no problem.

Okay.

It's 1 .30 now.

Court goes back into session at 2.

She's there today watching the trial, so you got a clear feel.

Hey, hey, Papa.

How's Lonnie?

Oh, he perked up some when he heard you were coming back.

Yeah, I wish I could see him.

No. No, you stay down.

The police have been keeping a fish eye on me and Lon ever since the other juror

died. You being followed?

I can't spot him.

But that don't mean they ain't there, so it can't hurt none to play safe.

Nope.

You got everything now?

You got the acid?

Yeah, sure.

It's all fixed up. Rare in a go.

Okay.

Have fun, boy.

Can you tell me where I can find Joe Taylor?

Yeah. Hey, Joe!

Follow over here looking for you.

That's him with the hat.

Mr. Taylor?

Yeah? My name's Erskine. I'm with the Times Dispatch.

Did Mr. Bonata phone you about my coming here?

Yeah, he phoned.

Well, I'd like to see where the accident happened.

That's the incinerator pit over there. That's where it happened.

He tripped, you know?

Did you know him personally, Mr. Taylor?

Yeah, I know him.

Played gin rummy with him every night for the past five months.

That's where he ended up.

Must have tripped over this wall.

Were you in the night shift, too?

No, I stayed on when my day job was done. Have supper with Ben when he'd

up.

Play a couple of hands and I'd go on home.

What about the night of the accident? I understood he was alone.

He was.

He didn't want to play that night.

Matter of fact, we almost got into a fight about it.

Guess I didn't clear out quick enough for him.

He said if I didn't shove off, he'd boot me out himself.

Any idea why he'd act that way?

I figured it was meeting somebody.

What?

you didn't mention this to the police?

They didn't ask.

Mr. Taylor, what exactly did he say? I mean, did he seem scared?

The event didn't want the divorce.

Louis, I think the phone's ringing.

Yeah.

Hello?

Hello? Luis Nieves?

Yes. You don't know me, but I'm a real good friend of yours.

Yeah.

See,

I wanted to show you how easy it would be to pay Anna a visit.

Even if she had all the doors and windows locked.

Who is this?

What's the matter?

Now, I'm going to tell you what I want you to do.

I want you to stay away from the police.

And I want you to forget about this little call.

And when the jury comes in on the Owens case, I want you to vote not guilty.

Understand?

No disqualification.

No fooling around.

Just not guilty.

You do, huh?

Or what?

Or next time, I really pay on a visit.

Listen, mister, you come here...

Say the cook stepped out. He'll be back in a minute.

Is there anything you'd like?

Well, maybe a cup of coffee.

Well, there are some cups behind the donut bowl, and the right spigot on the

coffee urn works.

Do you take cream and sugar?

No, this is fine. Okay, well, if there's anything else you want, you just

holler.

Are you Mrs.

Obey by any chance?

Yeah?

I'm a reporter. I wonder if I could talk to you for a minute.

You, uh, you up for the trial, huh?

Uh -huh.

Well, the story's in the courtroom, isn't it?

Stories are about people, Mrs. Obey.

I'd like to do a piece about your husband.

Well,

I don't know what to tell you about him. I mean...

He was my ex -husband.

Well, I understand he was quite a popular man around here.

Yeah, I guess he was.

You saw quite a lot of him, didn't you?

Oh, yeah. Ben came to the house at least once a week.

Well, you know, I mean, to ask me to take him back.

He said he was saving his money. I guess he was.

He even gave me a ring that he bought.

$100 down and $400 balance on credit. I says to him, I says to him, Ben,

you know, you can't afford a thing like that. I mean, where are you going to get

the $400?

But he said that everything was arranged.

Arranged how?

I don't know. I have no idea.

Did you talk to him the day of the accident, Mrs. Ogie?

No.

You didn't go up to the mill that night?

No, I...

I've never set foot in that mill in all my life.

Have he asked you to?

No, just the opposite.

You mean he asked you to stay away?

Well, yeah,

almost.

Well, you see, we were still fighting about that ring, and then,

well, he finally had to admit that I was right.

I mean, that he ought to wait and save up for the money.

I said to him, I says, Ben, what were you going to do?

Steal it?

I asked him, I says, Ben, are you in any kind of

trouble?

And then he just yelled at me to shut up and leave him alone, and he stormed out

of the room.

And the next day, boom, he was dead.

What happened to the ring?

I don't have any money, so I gave back the ring.

And then I got the $100 that Ben put down on it.

Louie Hey,

sit down Hello

Will you give me the telephone number of Judge Warren Clay, please?

Yes.

Here you go.

Thank you.

Louise, what are you going to do, tell him?

Tell him what, though?

You didn't know his name. We didn't see anybody.

I want police protection for you.

Oh, please, I'm so scared.

You're a smart man that's doing this.

Nobody knows my price.

I wouldn't take a million dollars for my vote in that jury.

But ten cents worth of acid in my wife's face, that's something else.

Oh, I know what this means to you.

To be a citizen, how hard you work.

How far we come.

and it's not the end of the world.

We haven't heard all the evidence. Maybe... Maybe he isn't guilty.

Maybe not.

Sure. You know, we're running around like chickens with our heads cut off.

I don't know. Half the jury could vote that's guilty, right?

Luis, what if he came back? Just to scare us.

He won't come back. Don't worry about that.

But if he does, do you think you ought to buy a gun or... What do I know about

guns?

Anita.

Do you remember that cabin we found last year?

On the island?

Yeah.

How would you like to go out there for a few days?

How's the fishing?

Fishing's fine.

Catching's a little slow.

I just got a call from Van Adder. He's worried.

Well, what about?

Someone phoned Judge Clay.

And then hung up without saying anything.

The judge thought he could hear a woman crying in the background.

Van Adder think it may mean pressure on another juror?

Are we sure we had pressure on the first one?

Something was bothering him that night.

Any educated guesses?

I think he'd been offered a bribe.

$400.

And he wanted more, huh?

Either that or he turned down the bribe.

I looked into George Owen's finances.

He made a $500 loan a week and a half ago.

Paid it back the day after Ovie was killed.

Huh? Any activity around his place?

He hasn't had any visitors.

He hasn't left the house except to go to jail in a courthouse.

What about his other son?

He's on a ship at Galveston, headed north.

We've traced him through Denver so far.

What about the other jurors?

They're married?

Uh, yes.

I think I'll look at their family backgrounds again before the court

See if any of them are especially vulnerable.

Mr. Owens, will you please speak up so the jury can hear you?

Surely, Mr. Owens, you can remember whether or not the victim spoke to you.

I don't think he did.

You don't think he did.

Yet two witnesses have testified that he...

Called your name, and I identified himself as a federal gay warden.

If you did either, I didn't hear him.

Mr. Owens, I've asked you before.

Now, will you please speak up?

I... He never identified himself to me.

He never said a word to me.

He just... He came up, and he put his barreling up to me, and he put his hands

on my shoulder like this. Where did you get the deer, Mr. Owens?

I don't know.

You've admitted it was last year car.

Somebody must have planted it there.

Mrs. Nieves?

I'm the man who called.

I followed you and Louise from your house last night.

I just wanted to nail down where you were going.

How did you get out here?

I didn't hear a motorboat.

I went back, got a canoe.

You must be crazy.

Louise will be coming out here.

No, see, I got word over the ridge route about half an hour ago.

Case goes to the jury this afternoon.

Either they decide by tonight or they're all locked in.

See, I brought a little transistor radio with me.

This is a very important case around here.

They're going to broadcast the verdict as soon as the jury comes in.

Listen, please. You want to go back inside now, you see?

Don't worry about this gun.

We don't mean to kill you.

It's just this little bottle of acid you have to worry about.

And so the case we presented is simple and direct.

Lon Owens killed a man.

There's no doubt of that.

He shot a federal game warden with a .38 caliber revolver, shot a man doing his

duty, attempting to uphold the laws of this land.

Lon Owen shot him not just once, but three times.

Three times.

In the head, the face, and the side.

Three times.

Two shots more than could possibly have been required to defend himself from

what he claims to be his impression that this man was threatening him.

The case just went to the jury.

There's a Mrs. Louise Nieves missing from her home.

Nieves?

Yeah, jury number four.

Oh, yeah, yeah. A neighbor down the road saw Mr. and Mrs. Nieves drive away

about 6 o 'clock last night.

He checked at the neighborhood gas station, approximately 610. They got a

tank of gas headed north.

Well, he was in court this morning. What else do we know about them?

They're Cuban.

The Avis has been a citizen about a year. His wife hasn't taken her final

yet.

Expecting their first child in October.

Are there any other possibles?

No, sir.

Does she have any friends she might be staying with?

None we could find.

They're heading north.

All right, let's see if we can find out how far north.

you

He's got half a tank of gas.

How many miles does he suppose this thing gets?

Oh, I guess, uh, 12, 13 miles a gallon.

Probably holds, what, 18 or 20?

Half a tank could be 9 or 10.

That'd put him, say, 100 to 120 miles out and back.

Say, 50 miles from the gas station.

I could ring it on a map, but there must be dozens of roads within that radius.

Hey, Tom.

Look at this.

Jerry Warner.

Boat and trailer rentals.

Okay.

We're just going back over the same ground.

I think it's time we took the kind of a straw vote just to see where we're at.

Mr. Foreman.

Mr. Nieves.

How are you?

I just want to see for myself if I understand.

If we condemn this man, do we also decide what happens to him? I mean, like

chamber or life in prison?

Yes, sir, we do. Separate vote.

It's a great responsibility.

Yes, it is.

Isn't it a little early to make a decision like this?

I mean... Well, yes, sir. But you see, Mr. Nieves, this is just to see which

the wind is blowing.

This vote doesn't commit you to anything. You can change your mind any

want to.

We won't go back into that courtroom until we're all satisfied.

All right.

Let's move.

We're going to be here all night.

All right. Now, we'll take a secret ballot.

Now, you have three choices.

Guilty, not guilty, undecided.

If you're undecided, just leave the paper blank. And you all have pencils.

Yeah. Okay. Now, when you're through, just fold your ballots, pass on up to

and take your time. There's no rush.

Afternoon. Help you? You the owner?

Yes, sir. Jerry Warner.

My name's Erskine.

FBI. This is Mr. Colby.

Yeah? Mr. Warner?

Mr. Warner, did you happen to rent a trailer to a man named Nieves in the

few days?

Tuesday. Trailer and boat.

Are you sure it was Nieves?

There's only one Cuban family in Cougar City.

What kind of a boat did he pick?

One like this one, with a three -horsepower job.

Just where would they use a boat like that around here, Mr. Warner?

Oh, man, you name it.

Lakes, river, nice patrolling.

Seems like a lot of trouble for him to take.

How far is the river?

About 90 miles.

Are there any lakes within 50 miles of here?

Yeah, there's Sandpiper Lake. That's up north of here.

Many cabins up there?

Yeah, there's quite a few around the shore.

There's even a couple on the island.

The island?

We'd like to rent a boat, too, Mr. Warner, a quiet one.

Right over here.

There's nothing quieter than a rowboat.

Well, that is if you don't mind the exercise.

Well, the same.

Eleven guilty and one undecided. Oh, undecided about what?

Now, let's all keep calm. We've been over this thing a thousand times.

We'll go over it a thousand more times if we have to.

Gentlemen, there's one thing I want to say.

If anyone here is hung up on a question of reasonable doubt or something like

that, and I wish he'd say it and bring it out in the open where we can talk it

through.

The question is whether or not Lon Owen knew what he was doing when he pulled

that trigger.

All right, are there any questions?

Any discussion?

Look, it is late. I'm tired. I want to go home.

There is no reason on this earth why anybody should be undecided at this

The boy is either guilty or he is not guilty.

So let's stop fooling around with it. If we can't agree, then let's tell the

judge we can't, and then let's just forget the whole thing, right?

Take one more ballot.

And if the vote's the same, I'll call the ballot.

One more vote.

This is your old moonlight friend bringing you midnight melodies over

KCCE Cougar City. We're still standing by for a verdict in the Owens murder

trial. The jury has reportedly reached a decision and will be returning to the

courtroom at any moment.

We'll interrupt the musical portion of our program as soon as the verdict is

announced.

He owns FBI.

Fishing's fine, but the catching's kind of slow.

Nieves told his whole story to the judge.

Said he and his wife were willing to testify against Jack Owens whenever we

needed.

By the way, Arthur called.

They set the Sperry trial up. They're due to testify in Washington tomorrow.

Call Portland.

They have two states for us on the 11 o 'clock jet tonight.

As a result of FBI investigation, George Owens was tried in state court for the

death of Ben Alvey and convicted of manslaughter.

Lon Owens is serving a life term for the murder of federal game warden Albert

Barton.

Jack Owens was convicted for violation of the obstruction of justice statute

is in a federal penitentiary.

Repair and Synchronization by Easy Subtitles Synchronizer 1.0.0.0