Original subtitles

Oh, yeah. Here we are. Here's a little beauty.

Thirty-five hundred square feet, split-level, all electric.

How much?

Two hundred and seventy-five thousand.

The owner will carry a second.

It, uh, seems expensive.

Heh. Mr. Nelson, you gotta realize

that Oakdale is the hottest suburb in Atlanta.

Home for young, upwardly mobile Atlantans like yourself and me.

Heh. It's the place to be.

I need to see you.

Oh, hi, Walt. I was, uh, just showing the Nelsons here

the Friedlander place.

Now.

Must be some sort of an emergency, I guess.

Would you excuse me? I'll be right back.

Sure. Just a second.

Walt.

Walt. What are you doing, Walt?

Acting like that in front of my clients?

My clients, Charlie.

Last time I looked, the firm

still belonged to Roger and me.

You were just an employee.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. What is your problem, Walt?

My problem?

Look. Spray paint on my car. Well...

For mine, I would have settled just for the pinstripe.

I think the writing's a bit busy.

It's not funny!

I know who did that.

It was you and your team.

What? Me and my team?

You've been egging them on

ever since I umped that last game,

when you came running out of the dugout like a madman.

It's just a game, Walt.

Then why did you go to the commission

to keep me from umping the championship, huh?

You told them I couldn't be impartial.

Fellas, please.

Can we take this somewhere else?

You know something, Rog?

Walt is not very beautiful when he's angry.

To you, everything is a joke, isn't it?

Everything's funny.

No, as a matter of fact,

poking me in the chest is not funny.

I'm warning you, you take this out on my team,

you're gonna hear about it, all right?

That's it.

You are history.

Celia, could we have some more wine coolers here?

Anybody for sushi?

No, no!

All right, look. Look, look. We've got a problem with Walt.

You mean, you got a problem. He's your partner.

You're getting an attitude, Barney.

No, no, you know what he means, Barney.

Walt is gonna ump tonight.

Oh, no. Not again.

Yeah, that's right. He could bury us.

Now, it's the biggest game of the year.

We're not gonna let him blow it for us.

Well, just what do you suggest we do, Freddie?

Well, uh, somebody's gotta talk to him.

Yeah.

No, no, no, no, no.

Best thing to do is not say a word to him.

Don't even blink.

Let's just pray there are no close calls, all right?

Come on, Marshall. It just takes one...

Come on, Marshall.

Oh.

Charlie, you're the manager of the team.

Why don't you pinch-hit for the guy?

With who? Freddie and Barney have been in,

Roger hasn't shown up.

Look, I don't like the championship game

in the hands of a dentist either. What can I do?

Come on, Marshall! Hit it out there, babe.

Come on.

Here we go. Big swing, baby.

Attaboy!

All right, he's in there! He's in there!

You're out!

Walter, what are you talking about?

He never touched me.

Walter, where are you going?

Walter!

Walter!

Walter, you crazy? He never touched me!

Walter!

Where are you, damn it!

Ahem. I've gone all over Charlie's disposable assets.

His bank and savings account.

And all I can tell you

is he's gonna come up short on his legal fees.

So, what's your point, Freddie?

Well, we're all Charlie's friends.

We all believe in him.

I mean, that makes us the sole members

of the Charlie Bonham Defense Fund.

You mean we should all kick in.

That's the idea, Barney.

Actually, we're gonna apportion it

according to one's ability to pay.

Count me out.

Before we go any further, anybody else want out?

Nope.

No. No.

All right, then. Where's our big-time lawyer?

Celia. Mr. Matlock come in here?

Do you mean him?

Excuse me, Doc.

Mr. Matlock?

Yes?

I'm Roger Cullen. We spoke on the phone.

Oh, yes.

Like to join us over here, please?

Okay.

Got here a little early,

and I thought I'd...

spend the time catching up on my newspaper.

Gentlemen, Mr. Matlock.

How you doing? Good afternoon.

Hello, gentlemen. I didn't expect such a crowd.

Heh. Well, we're all Charlie's friends here.

Um, some lunch?

Oh, no thanks.

Are you at all familiar with the case?

Well, um, I've read about it in the newspaper,

and I've seen it on television.

I haven't spoken with anybody down at the jailhouse yet,

if that's what you're referring to.

I'm not that familiar with your work, Mr. Matlock.

Have you handled many of these types of cases?

Uh, well, to tell you the truth,

I've never heard of a murdered umpire case before.

Well, I'm sure at this point in his career,

Mr. Matlock has tried a lot of murder cases.

A-are you still in active practice?

Well, uh... yeah.

Most days, I can, uh...

still remember where the courthouse is.

What would you say is your success rate?

Let me stop it right here.

Uh, I know you're all concerned about your friend,

and I know you want to get your money's worth.

And, uh, I don't blame you for that.

Uh, let me make it easy for you.

It's gonna cost somebody $100,000

as a retainer for me to take this case.

Now, there are lawyers who work cheaper

and are just as good.

But like I say, I go for 100,000.

Now, I'm gonna go up here

and pay my check and go out that door,

and if you want me to consider taking this case,

you'd better make up your mind before I get to my car.

And I enjoyed meeting all of you.

Yeah.

All right. Is that all you had, just coffee?

Just coffee.

That'll be $1.70.

Okay.

Uh, that's 70.

All right.

Would you like a toothpick?

Yeah.

Mr. Matlock?

Here's the physical evidence, counselor.

Thank you, lieutenant.

This is everything found on the victim?

Yes.

Mask, uh, chest protector, car keys, cigarettes,

a lighter, a wallet,

and a ball-strike counter.

Ball-strike counter. No kidding.

Yeah, that's how the ump keeps track

of strikes, balls, outs. Like that.

Yeah, I know.

Used to play a little ball yourself, huh?

Yeah.

Yeah, in high school. That was a long time ago.

Hit a state championship, though.

It was my last game.

It was the bottom of the ninth

and bases were loaded, and I was up.

Crowd was yelling, "Matlock! Matlock!"

Pitcher throws a fast ball out over the plate.

Your client's ready.

Okay.

Okay, Charlie.

I understand there were...

several arguments

between you and Walter during that game,

and one real big one.

Yeah.

Top of the eighth. We had a real rhubarb.

Well, let's hear about it.

Well, score was tied.

A fog was rolling in and out all night.

Bases were loaded, two outs,

and Mike Golbie, who we call Dr. K,

was on the mound for my team.

You manage the team?

Yeah, and I play second base.

Uh, this, uh, Mike Golbie.

Is that Dr. Golbie,

the psychiatrist with the radio show?

The one who wrote that book, uh, Reality on $5 a day?

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

He's... He's the one.

Made millions off that book.

But he takes his softball very seriously.

Hm. Pretty upscale team you got there.

Yeah, I guess.

I used to play a little ball.

Did you?

Yeah, in high school.

I remember this one game...

So Doc was on the mound, huh?

Yeah, and he's our ace.

But Walter was squeezing his strike zone all night.

Take your base.

The run was forced in. Monroe took the lead.

I don't know. I just... I blew my stack.

Oh, come on.

What are you talking about, Walter?

It was right in the strike zone!

You've been doing this all game, man. Come on!

Let's play ball, Charlie.

Come on, Charlie.

Come on, Charlie!

It was a strike, Walter.

It was a damn strike, and you know it.

It... It was a pitch a batter could not take.

An umpire could not call a ball

unless he had some sort of personal vendetta

or something.

All right, so finally, they pulled us apart.

And now it's the bottom of the eighth,

and Mike is up at bat.

He goes to a 3 and 2 count.

He grounds out. The inning is over.

Walter goes under the stands.

Went under the stands?

Yeah, for a cigarette.

His usual end-of-the-inning routine.

Uh, then what?

Well... then it's the bottom of the ninth.

And that's when the trouble began.

I was the first batter up.

I doubled to right and, uh,

Sam bunts me over to third.

And then Marshall Turner flied to center field.

I tag up.

Walter calls me out.

I am telling you, Mr. Matlock, I was safe.

I mean, my foot was so far across home plate.

I-I spiked Walter before he even made the call.

So you ran after him just to protest?

Yeah. That's all.

You didn't go after Walter to harm him?

No.

I don't know what I would've done

if I'd caught him.

But I didn't.

Look...

I had a lot of reasons to dislike Walter.

And I wasn't alone.

That's the heart of it, isn't it?

Yeah.

Kill the umpire.

A lot of fellas disliked Walter.

We just have to find that one

that disliked him more than you did.

And now batting cleanup

for the Willow Spring Tigers,

the pitcher, Ben Matlock.

You'll never hit the ball with that hitch in your swing.

Oh, hello here.

You startled me. I didn't know anybody was about.

Hitch, huh?

I'll have you know I hit a home run one time.

You did?

Yeah. High school. Ninth inning.

So did I.

No kidding. Yep.

Bases loaded, one out. You?

Two outs.

First liar never has a chance.

I did hit a home run one time.

Yeah? Mine was only a triple.

I didn't know you liked baseball.

I don't.

If I did, I'd have hit a homer too.

Ah, ha.

P.E. requirement, St. Claire's Prep.

Oh. Oh. I was just, uh, checking. Uh...

Look at this, uh... This list that Charlie gave me.

There's Fred Hatton, Roger Cullen,

Barney Sutler.

That's three people besides Charlie

who were missing when Walter was killed.

One of them could have done it.

Yeah.

Well, let's see.

I'll call Tyler and get him in on this.

Saw a beauty salon on my way over here.

Beauty salon?

Yeah. Think I'll get a little trim

and find out what's going on.

Oh. Yeah.

You see, I was in the game, Miss Thomas.

It is miss, isn't it?

Yes.

Then remind me later to show you some excellent policies

we have for single women.

Well, I may not have the time.

So you were playing?

Uh, yes, up until the fifth inning when I put my back out.

I got this disk in my third cervical vertebrae.

It's uh... Well, anyway.

So he put in Howard Kaufman, the accountant.

That's him with a pocket calculator.

Oh, yeah.

There's your firm's name.

Yes, I'm also a sponsor.

Well, then I'm curious.

Why weren't you there when the game ended?

Weren't you concerned how it turned out?

Can I get you a cup of coffee or a soft drink?

Coffee would be fine.

Uh, have a seat, won't you?

Thank you.

Patti, would you get Miss Thomas a cup of coffee, please?

You see, this was no ordinary game.

This was part of the regional championship.

I mean, there were games all over the state affecting us.

So I went out to my car to call up some people downstate

to get the scores of those games,

and that's where I was when the game ended here.

Thank you, Miss...?

Uh, Patti.

Patti, close the door after you, would you?

Thank you.

In other words, then,

you didn't find out what happened to Walter until...

Until I heard the police sirens coming into the ball field.

Why are you asking these questions?

It's just a routine investigation.

But I did hear about the big fight

you had with Walter last week.

You heard?

Yeah, in the mall.

Heard it almost came to blows.

Oh, yes.

Russell. Hairdos Are Russ, wasn't it?

He told you.

I have my hair done there too.

Not by Russell. By Belinda.

What do you think?

Well, it's very nice, but...

Eh, right, Walter.

Miss Thomas, I loved that big lug.

We grew up together.

I mean, that fight was just business.

In what way?

I underwrite all of the insurance

on properties Cullen Judd has in escrow.

The rates went up. Walter took it personally.

He was like that, Walter was. A very excitable guy.

He was like that when he umped.

I mean, he took the slightest thing personally.

I see.

By the way, how is your business?

Oh, it's dynamite.

Yeah?

I heard you drove your competitors out of town.

Since when is that a crime?

Now, what about that policy for the single gal?

Well, thank you, but I do have to go.

But don't take that personally.

Freddie! Freddie.

Listen. How could you treat me like that?

Wait a minute, all right?

Would you just wait a minute?

That's right.

Whoever told you, told you right.

I wasn't around at the end of the game.

Well, where were you?

Well, Charlie doesn't always put me in the game.

I'm usually first or second sub.

But Roger hadn't shown up,

so Charlie started me in right field.

It can get real boring out there...

so I had a pint with me,

and I took a couple of pulls in between pitches.

I was feeling no pain.

Wasn't catching no fly balls either.

Course, with all that fog,

I couldn't have caught a fly ball

if I was sober.

Anyway, Charlie pulled me out of the game

and put in Marshall Turner.

Imagine being replaced by a dentist.

Oh, yeah, okay.

And when you got back to the dugout, what happened?

Well, I didn't want to embarrass old Charlie

by drinking in the dugout,

so I figured I'd take a little walk.

I mean, why stay around if I'm out of the game anyway?

And while you were away from the game,

did anybody see you?

Well, how would I know?

Well, as I understand it,

you have Walter and Roger's company

to thank for your business not being so good.

Who told you that?

Was it Russell, that creep hairdresser?

Seems a couple years ago,

you had quite a few lots for sale

that were lying fallow.

Nothing was happening.

Then Walter came to you

and offered to help you unload 'em,

find a good buyer.

And he did.

Found a good buyer. Himself.

You see, Walter had inside information

that that was going to be a major development.

Information that you didn't have.

The way I hear it,

Walter talked you into giving up $2 million?

Russell knows a lot.

But does he know who killed Walter?

No.

But do you?

Yeah.

Charlie.

I... I understand that you had a...

break-in here the other night.

Yeah. Huh.

That was the same night

that Walter Judd was killed, wasn't it?

You think there's some connection to the murder?

I don't know.

Just seems strange breaking into a real estate office.

I mean, an appliance store, they could steal, uh,

I don't know, a toaster,

a television set, but a real estate office,

you can't steal a house.

I really wish I could help you.

I mean, who knows why people do what they do?

Who knows why somebody went out and killed Walter?

Uh, you weren't there for the end of that game, were you?

I wasn't there for the game at all.

There was a bad accident on the interstate.

Tied up traffic for miles.

It wasn't until I drove into the parking lot,

saw the crowd standing around and the police.

That was the first I knew my partner was dead.

You probably heard about the loud and bitter arguments

between Walter and myself recently.

Mm.

You would've soon enough...

especially if you talked to Russell.

Big-mouth hairdresser down at the mall?

Look, like any partners, we argued,

but it was just business.

I see.

Walter and I were like brothers.

I would've given him the shirt off my back.

I often did.

But you have to understand about Walter.

He moves slower than evolution.

I wanted to expand. Walter didn't.

That's all there was to it.

Yeah?

I guess now you'll have things your way.

That's a thought, isn't it?

Mmm!

Boy, this is really tremendous! Great.

Why don't you have some, Ben?

No, thank you.

Try some.

I'm not eating raw fish.

What'd you find out?

A cut and shape at Hairdos Are Russ

here in Yuppieville

is twice as expensive as it is in Atlanta. Mm.

I also found out that not only was Fred Hatton

missing at game's end,

but he had a public fight with Walter recently.

Mmm. As with Barney Sutler.

Roger Cullen did too.

I got a job for you.

I want you to stake out the Cullen Judd offices tonight.

Who?

You.

Somebody wants something from in there,

and it might have something to do with this murder.

And what if it doesn't?

Then you would have spent

a night in a parking lot for nothing.

Ben, I'm glad to see that you and I think alike.

Help yourself.

Mm.

Hi. Hi. I'm Freddie Hatton.

Uh, lucky I'm the one you almost hit.

Uh, you got any damage at all, I got great coverage.

So this intruder was trying

to break into Walter Judd's office,

and you surprised him?

Yeah.

I thought these places

went out of business 30 years ago.

The '50s are back in.

Old is new.

Okay, let's see then.

We've got Roger Cullen, Barney Sutler and Fred Hatton.

Three suspects who should've been at the game and weren't.

And all three have uncorroborated alibis

for the time of the murder.

In my book, Freddie stands out.

I wanna know what he was doing driving around last night

having an accident with me.

Maybe it wasn't an accident.

Hm.

I think I'll get a facial.

Oh?

You know, so I can check all this stuff out.

At the beauty salon?

Oh, yeah.

Where are you gonna be?

What?

Where you gonna be?

Oh. At the courthouse.

What did our man Russell say?

A lot.

All right. Where to now?

Freddie's office.

It seems our friend was more than just a sponsor

for the team.

He founded the league. And through it,

became the single biggest insurance agent in the county.

Softball? Insurance? I don't see the connection.

Well, figure it out.

Everyone bought insurance from him

just to get on the team.

Did you hear what I said?

Not only did I hear what you said,

I see what I see.

What's that?

That's the car I was chasing last night

before I was so rudely interrupted

by one Freddie Hatton.

Hm.

Um... excuse me, miss.

But you're blocking me in,

and I can't get my car out of my parking space.

What are you talking about?

My car is in my space in the lot.

The yellow Camaro?

That's right.

The one I was chasing last night

that your boss managed to keep me from catching?

I really don't know what you're talking about.

You're Patti Judd, aren't you?

Yes.

As in Walter Judd's daughter?

Oh, in other words,

you were breaking into your father's office.

Uh, I'm afraid you must be confused, Mr. Hudson.

Patti was here working late last night.

Now, if you'll excuse us,

we're on our way to the trial.

Unless of course you'd like to

look at some insurance policies we have,

in case you're slapped with a lawsuit

for libel or slander,

which I understand comes up often

in your line of work.

I never make accusations that I can't back up.

Good day.

Now we go to Walter Judd's office.

You think whatever Patti was after

last night's still there?

I'm positive of it.

And now that I know she was involved with Freddie,

I've got a good idea what it is.

Mr. Cullen, when you saw Walter Judd

and the defendant together,

did they appear to be having a... A gentlemanly conversation?

No. They were obviously arguing.

And could you determine what they were arguing about?

That was obvious too.

Someone had painted "kill the umpire"

on Walter's car, and he was accusing Charlie

and his team of doing it.

How would you characterize

the defendant's relationship to your partner?

Things had been rough between them all season.

So there was friction about some of the softball games, hm?

Yes. Mm-hm.

Charlie accused Walter of purposely making bad calls

against our team every game he umped.

Would you say he was mad enough to kill?

Objection.

Calls for speculation.

Sustained.

Who are you looking for?

Michelle.

I hope she's found something.

That's why she's late.

So this friction between Charlie and Walter,

do you know if... If it...

Did it exist only during the baseball season?

No. It went back several years.

To when?

We all worked for a large firm together:

myself, Charlie, Walter.

We were good friends.

And we decided we wanted to open our own agency.

Only problem, Charlie had blown his dough on other things.

So Good-Time Charlie here

couldn't go into business with you and Walter.

Your Honor, counsel is leading the witness.

I strenuously object

to his characterization of my client.

Sustained.

All right.

So... Mr. Bonham

did not go into business with you.

But why?

Why was he so angry with Walter?

Because he asked Walter to lend him the money

so he could go in for a third, and Walter refused.

Charlie became very bitter.

But didn't Walter turn around and give him

a high-paying position in the firm?

Yes.

Walt may have seemed cold, but he had a good heart.

And that's how Charlie repaid him.

With the blunt end of a lead bat.

Objection. Argumentative. Prejudicial.

Sustained.

No further questions.

Uh, no cross, Your Honor.

You may step down.

That concludes the case for the state, Your Honor.

Prosecution rests.

Will there be a defense at this time?

Uh, yes, Your Honor.

Defense calls Freddie Hatton to the stand.

You handled the escrow insurance for Cullen Judd?

Uh, that's right.

And Walter Judd's personal insurance?

Uh, well, yes, I did.

Oh, you used the past tense.

Did he replace you as an agent?

I handled it at first, and, uh, for a while.

And then he let it lapse.

When was that? Recently?

I guess.

You guess.

I suppose... ten years is recent

to a mountain or a redwood tree...

Objection.

Your Honor. Counsel is testifying.

Mr. Matlock, I fail to see where this is going.

Uh, Your Honor, with the court's indulgence,

I intend to make this abundantly clear.

Objection sustained.

Please ask questions, Mr. Matlock.

Yes, sir.

Mr. Hatton, isn't it true that Walter Judd's life insurance

lapsed ten years ago?

I have the termination notice right here.

Would you like to refresh your memory?

Uh, it lapsed ten years ago.

Only Walter didn't know that, did he?

He'd been paying the premiums right along

until a few weeks ago,

when he tried to borrow against his life insurance

and found out that you had been shortstopping those payments

for the past ten years.

Isn't that right?

Uh, I'm not on trial here.

But you might be.

You see, I think Walter Judd

had evidence that you had been

pocketing those premiums,

and he threatened to go to the state authorities

unless you came up with the money.

So you got Patti Judd

to break into her father's office,

get the evidence, so you could destroy it.

But she was thwarted.

So you had to go to your more deadly Plan B, correct?

No. That's not true.

Oh, sure it is.

Sure it is. But now with... With Walter dead,

those files were potential evidence

for murder as well as fraud,

so you sent Patti back in again.

I didn't kill Walter.

What I don't understand is how you got Patti Judd

to help with the cover-up

when she must've known you killed her father.

Patti knows I didn't murder her father...

because... I was with her in a parked car

when it was happening.

We were, uh... You know?

How long were you "you knowing" in the parked car?

Well, from the bottom of the third

till the end of the game.

Six innings? You're kidding.

Mr. Matlock.

Why didn't you say anything about this before?

I was worried about Patti's reputation.

Oh, come on! Mr. Matlock.

Oh, Your Honor, come on!

Mr. Matlock! Oh, Your Honor!

You wanted to protect your insurance company, didn't you?

Well, yeah, that too...

No further questions.

What do we do now?

It's the bottom of the ninth, Charlie.

What we need's a home run.

So Charlie slid into home plate.

Walter called him out and took off.

Start the clock.

Charlie got up... started to follow Walter.

But by then, the fans and friends

were coming out of the stands onto the field.

That slowed Charlie down.

He first went to the parking lot...

through this tunnel.

Okay. So he found Walter's car

out here under the third light, here,

gave it a kick, and started to go back.

And then something attracted his attention

under the stands, and went to investigate.

And then he found Walter's body.

How long?

Sixty-four seconds.

Sixty-four seconds.

Now, let's assume that Walter got here

thirty seconds before Charlie.

Now that leaves 34 seconds for whoever it was

to kill Walter and get away.

Why didn't Charlie see anybody?

He should've seen somebody, Michelle.

Don't you think he should've seen somebody?

No. No, there was nobody there.

I'm telling you there was nobody there.

I was all alone under the stands with Walter's body

for just a couple of seconds before anybody showed up.

Charlie... think back to that last inning.

Just... Just go through that again.

Okay.

It's the bottom of the ninth. One out, right?

Marshall Turner comes up.

First pitch is low and away. He swings and misses.

Strike one. All right.

Marshall settles into the batter's box,

pitcher winds up, throws the 0-1 pitch.

Marshall hits this towering fly to dead center, right?

I get ready to tag. Outfielder goes back.

He makes the catch. I go. He...

Now, wait a minute.

Wait a minute.

The count was O-and-1 and one away,

when Marshall Turner

hit into the game-ending double play.

Yeah. Yeah, that's right.

There was a ball-strike counter

found in Walter's pocket,

and it doesn't have that count.

It says... three balls,

two strikes... two out.

I'll remind you, you're still under oath.

Okay.

Mr. Cullen. When, uh... When we first spoke,

you said that you and, uh, Walter Judd

had had several loud arguments.

That's correct.

And that they were over business.

You wanted to expand, and he didn't.

Is that right?

Yes, it is.

Well, how is business?

Excellent.

That's what I thought.

And tha... That's why I wanted to recall you to the stand.

Uh, it just seems odd.

If business was doing well enough

that you wanted to expand,

why did Walter Judd find it necessary

to try to borrow from his insurance?

I don't know.

Well, you've borrowed from the company, haven't you?

Yes.

And Walter too? Yes.

So if the company had enough money that it could expand,

then I have to assume that if Walter

needed to borrow money from the company, he could.

Of course.

Uh... do you, uh...

Do you recognize, uh, these?

What are you doing with those?

I... I suppose that's recognition enough.

These are Cullen Judd Associate books.

Uh, I subpoenaed 'em from your accountant this morning.

Now, a superficial look at these books

would show that Cullen Judd

is inches from bankruptcy.

And a closer look at these books

would show some rather interesting bookkeeping

that is, uh, more commonly known as embezzlement.

I don't know what you're talking about.

Well, you are familiar with a property

at 327 Fieldston Drive?

I'd have to consult my books.

Well, let me refresh your memory.

Cullen Judd bought the property at 327 Fieldston Drive

for $177,000 three months ago.

I vaguely remember that.

You remember selling it?

No.

Your company sold that property for $223,000

two weeks before Walter Judd died,

and not one penny went back into the company.

Now, that's what you and Walter

were arguing about, wasn't it?

He had found out you had embezzled that money.

You're imagining things, Mr. Matlock.

And when you couldn't stop your partner...

from going to the police,

your only recourse was to kill him, wasn't it?

I wasn't at the game.

I didn't get there until after Walter died.

I think that's what you'd like us to believe.

How tall was Walter?

About 6'1".

In fact, you and Walter were about the same size,

weren't you?

Yes.

And you've seen Walter

umpire lots of ball games, haven't you?

Sure.

So you're aware that at the end of each inning,

he would go under the stands for a cigarette.

I don't know.

Oh, yes, you do.

Yes, you do.

Because you were waiting for him

under those stands

at the bottom of the eighth inning,

weren't you?

It's absurd.

I'll tell you how I think it could've happened.

You could've had a chest protector,

mask, cap, jacket, killed Walter,

put on the chest protector,

mask, cap, jacket.

Gone out, umpired the ninth inning.

And since you and Walter

were approximately the same size and shape,

no one would've noticed.

Your Honor, objection.

This is pure speculation.

No, it's not.

It better not be.

Proceed.

Yes.

You recognize this?

It's a ball-strike counter an umpire uses.

More specifically,

it is the ball-strike counter used by Walter Judd.

And the police have already testified

that it was found in his pocket after his death.

What does it read?

Three balls, two strikes, two outs.

Three balls, two strikes, two outs.

That was the exact count

at the bottom of the eighth inning

when the last batter grounded out

and Walter Judd went for a smoke.

I really don't keep track of such things.

The game statistician does.

I think this indicates

that Walter Judd stopped umpiring

at the end of the eighth inning,

and someone... probably you

killed him, put on the chest protector,

mask, cap, jacket,

and umpired the ninth inning.

I told you I wasn't there.

I was tied up in traffic for two hours.

Come on, Mr. Cullen.

The moment of truth is here.

An accident did tie up traffic

on the highway for two hours...

but not on your side of the road.

You zipped right along, didn't you.

Of course, slowed down for a moment for looky-loos.

But you zipped right along, and you know it.

Course...

this would all be circumstantial and inconclusive,

if it were not for one fact.

Charles Bonham...

was wearing steel spikes on his shoes that night.

And we know that he slid into home plate

with such force that he spiked the umpire on the leg.

The autopsy report shows no spike marks on the victim.

Now, that game took place just 12 days ago.

Just 12.

That's not long enough for good-sized cuts

made by spikes to have healed completely.

So whoever umpired the ninth inning

must still have some spike marks on his leg.

Mr. Cullen...

want to just show us your leg?

No, I don't.

I don't have to do that.

But if you didn't umpire the ninth inning,

your leg should be clean as a whistle.

This can all be over right now.

Want to just show me your leg?

Mr. Matlock... I'd like to see my lawyer.

Good move.

No further questions.

No questions, Your Honor.

Mr. Cullen, you may step down.

And you're ordered not to leave this courtroom.

After further investigation,

the people move to dismiss, in the interest of justice.

On the people's motion, this case is dismissed.

This court is adjourned.

All right!

Mr. Matlock, I can't thank you enough.

Charlie.

Congratulations, Charlie. All right.

Hey, you know, uh, you're not bad.

For an old guy?

Hey, we didn't say that.

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