Original subtitles

How about explosion, fire, simple, direct?

Oh, I know what destroyed the body,

because that would kill me.

Dr. Stone.

Oh.

Ha ha ha.

Quincy, your Dr. Stone just blew us out of the water.

I don't understand you, Dr. Quincy.

If Dr. Stone is willing to attest that Mr. Farrell is dead,

it seems to me that reasonable men might expedite matters

by agreeing to issue an immediate death certificate.

I'll nail you.

I only testify to what I believe is possible.

You're not thinking of killing him.

Gentlemen, you are about to enter the fascinating sphere

of police work.

The world of forensic medicine.

This court's calendar is predicated

upon witnesses being here when their testimony is required.

I assume the district attorney's office is aware

of that very obvious fact.

Absolutely, your honor.

The medical examiner assured me that he...

I don't know where he is.

I have sent someone to look for him.

The coroner's office is three blocks away.

His court will recess five minutes later.

I'm sure he'll be here by then.

I'm sure he'll be here by then.

The coroner's office is three blocks away.

His court will recess for 15 minutes.

That's five minutes to travel each block.

My mother, who is 94 and in a wheelchair,

could travel that distance with time to spare.

Yes, your honor.

All rise.

It never hurts to have an irritable judge,

who's irritated at the right side.

That medical examiner's in for a rough time, doctor.

The judge's attitude doesn't interest me, Mr. Ballin.

The evidence matter is nothing else.

Quincy, where's Scholler?

You were supposed to be here 10 minutes ago.

Back went out.

He's got to testify.

He can't move his neck.

One shoulder is higher than the other.

His hands are pointing south while he's going north.

If his face was blue, he'd look like an early Picasso.

Quincy!

Dr. Stone!

Oh!

I heard you moved back east.

Yes, when I retired, I moved back.

How's Edith?

None of us is young anymore.

Oh, your wife will always be young.

Give her my love, will you?

Hey, listen, now we have to have dinner.

The three of us, I'll fix it on my boat.

I followed your career.

In the journals, even in the daily papers,

I like to know how my students are getting along.

Sam, Sam Fujiyama,

I'd like you to meet Dr. Herbert Stone.

My pleasure, sir.

He taught me pathology.

Well, he taught me everything I know.

I assume you're here to represent the medical examiner.

Oh, well, I'm pinch-hitting.

I barely had a chance to look at the material.

We'll talk later.

If you need more time to prepare,

I'm sure Mr. Borland will agree to a delay.

Oh, I thought I recognized that lawyer.

Borland.

His tongue against your scalpel in a cutting contest.

My money goes on him.

Sam, never mind him.

You may not realize this, but this could be one of the highlights of your life.

Just being in the same room with Herbert Stone.

The man is a giant.

Well, if you're gonna play Jack the Giant Killer,

you better go over these autopsy reports.

Now, this section of the victim's pancreas shows severe injury to the organ,

possibly as a result of a blow he received in the automobile accident.

See, the pancreas normally secretes digestive juices

which flow into the small intestine.

Now, in this case, because of the injury,

those juices seeped into the tissue of the pancreas

and it began digesting itself.

Tell me, Dr. Quincy.

Yes.

Could there be other causes for what you indicate happened

to the poor gentleman's pancreas?

Oh, yes, of course.

There's disease and certain natural processes.

But in this case, the evidence is quite clear.

You know Dr. Stone?

Yes.

And you're familiar with the textbooks he's written?

I have memorized them. I studied under Dr. Stone.

How would you rate him as a pathologist?

Top of the list. He's the best.

No further questions, Your Honor.

Lights, please.

The witness may step down.

There is no question that there is pancreatic tissue destruction.

Would you say, Dr. Stone, that a blow to the abdomen could produce this condition?

Yes, it clearly could result in this kind of injury.

It could. However, I don't believe it did.

I agree with Dr. Quincy

and that other conditions can produce this effect.

I depart in that I am confident

what we're looking at here is the outcome of a natural process.

Your witness, counselor.

Lights, please.

I don't wish he was wrong.

I can't say he's wrong.

He's not just another witness, you know.

Happens to be Dr. Herbert Stone.

Counselor.

Just one moment, Your Honor, please.

Quincy, your Dr. Stone just blew us out of the water, man.

What am I gonna say?

I don't know.

Well, either he's wrong or all of this is wrong.

Come on, man. This whole case is riding on this.

It's a matter of interpretation.

Pathology is not always an exact science, you know.

It's the importance you give to a shadow or a faint line.

It was anybody else but Dr. Stone.

I have no further questions, Your Honor.

Quincy, I know he was your teacher, but...

Professor. He was a professor of pathology.

But he could have been wrong, couldn't he?

Of course he could have been wrong.

There's a better chance I am.

Just remember, I didn't even prepare the slides.

It doesn't make too much sense to me.

The department wouldn't have pursued the case unless it was sure.

Will you knock it off, Sam?

If Herbert Stone tells you the black is white,

you'd better check your vision before you start arguing with him.

I still believe...

Will you knock it off?

Sam!

Dr. Astin said I could stay.

Hey, that's great.

After all those things I broke.

Hey, don't say anything.

What?

I told him I did it.

Sam!

Sam, what's the matter?

It's nothing.

I'll tell you later.

Excuse me.

Sam, are you bleeding?

Oh, it's nothing.

Blood? He didn't say a word.

Well, they're right. They are inscrutable.

Still looks like injury to the pancreas.

You know, Quincy, letting Paulin defeat us today doesn't do us any good.

It's bad for our image.

I got a good shot at an axe murderer next week.

He can get me to one in Las Vegas.

That'll be terrific for your image.

Yeah, terrific.

Still, you know, Dr. Schiller said he gave you an airtight case.

Yeah, well, Dr. Stone arranged for it to spring a leak.

Dr. Herbert Stone?

That's right.

Well, Quincy, I'm sure you did your best.

Thank you.

Just wasn't good enough.

You didn't win, but we'll overlook it.

Right now, I want you to get over to Petrachem Refinery.

They had an accident.

An oil refinery? Was it bad?

Would I be sending you there if it were good?

No.

I haven't been able to get ahold of Farrell's wife yet.

Keep trying.

Got enough pictures, Ed?

Sure have, Quince.

Okay, rush them through, will you?

You've got it.

You finished?

For now.

Can you give me the cause of death?

As soon as I know.

How about explosions?

Fire? Simple, direct?

Oh, I know it destroyed the body, but is that what killed him?

What's the mystery?

The deceased, William Farrell, vice president of Petrachem Refinery.

Quincy, he was seen by the gate guard driving onto the grounds

ten minutes before the explosion.

That reminds me.

His glasses were beside the body, broken.

And did you check into the car to see if he had an extra pair there?

You think he'll need them now?

Just check it out. Let me know.

Oh!

Were you able to get a blood type?

The guy was burned so badly, his blood cooked.

Test results, zilch.

Maybe I won't need it.

I'm getting Farrell's medical history. I'll check it against our findings.

Mind if I take my coffee break?

Now? With Alice?

That's probably the right name for it. Break.

Morning, Sam.

Morning, Lieutenant.

Sergeant Brill told me you were interested in Farrell's glasses.

Yeah, I've been running tests for two days.

The glasses belong to Farrell.

I don't know if the body did.

Well, fill me in on it.

That guy as near sighted as Farrell always carries an extra pair of glasses with him.

Do you know what would happen if he broke the pair of glasses he was wearing?

He'd be practically blind.

Is that all you've got to go on?

Did you find the second pair?

I don't believe you, Quincy.

You mean you were holding up on a death certificate because a pair of glasses are missing?

I'll have a hunch I'll find a lot more when I finish the tests I'm running.

Sam's having coffee.

Farrell was called to the plant because the foreman there, he suspected a gas leak.

Now the arson boys checked out everything and it all adds up to an accident, nothing else.

I'm not satisfied.

You never are. Quincy, the guy could have broken his glasses the day before he died.

Yes, he could have, but I called his optometrist and he hadn't ordered a new pair.

I don't believe you.

Lieutenant, how are you?

Great, great. I'll tell you, if my job was paid on the basis of piecework,

instead of a flat salary, Quincy here would make me a rich man.

Quincy, I just got a call from an attorney, Martin Borland.

He's been retained by William Farrell's widow to force issuance of a death certificate

so that the woman can collect her husband's insurance.

Why, is Farrell dead?

Well, at this point I certainly hope so because you examined him, now, isn't he?

Well, I'm doing that new pubic symphysis section.

This is the first slide, take a look at it.

Now, I know we haven't tested this in court yet,

but I feel strongly we can establish that victim was in his twenties.

Well, I see what you mean, it's very interesting, but I wouldn't call that conclusive.

Well, I would say it was strongly suggestive that the victim might be a younger man.

Look, if Mr. Borland...

I'm going to check for basement membrane alterations with electron microscope.

Quincy, that'll take days, you know, you'll tie up the whole lab.

Now, the slide is very nice, but it is only suggestive evidence,

so on what basis are you going to give me such chaos?

On the basis of our need to be sure.

Quincy.

Dr. Stone, I presume?

How are you, sir?

I am Dr. Aston.

Good morning, Quincy, I was delighted to hear we'd be working together.

The Farrell case?

Yes, I've been retained to represent Mrs. Farrell.

Of course, I'm sure I'll agree with your findings after I've examined the tissue samples.

Dr. Stone, if I may say so, sir, I am very honored to have you here.

Now, you may not be familiar with Dr. Quincy's work,

but I'm sure you'll find that he is a...

I trained him.

Quincy, if you could give me whatever materials you've put together,

maybe I could go right to work.

Sam, you are a disgrace.

I not only run a tight ship, but a neat ship.

I expect the appearance of my people to reflect credit on our department.

Now, clean up.

I'll see you later, sir.

Oh, excuse me.

Sit down, sir.

Sam, this is really a beautiful lab.

A man could do good work here.

I had a lab just like this for 37 years before I retired.

I know.

It doesn't belong to you.

You're only permitted to use it as long as you...

Have you ever thought of going back into private practice?

Oh, not any more than you thought about leaving the university.

I'll take the specimens,

and maybe you could arrange a small room with a microscope where I could study them.

You're going to use mine.

I want you to see this pubic symphysis slide.

Now, there are bone abnormalities...

I look at any slides in private.

I'm perfectly capable of reaching my own conclusions.

You wouldn't want me to be influenced by my personal feelings for you now.

Oh, no, no, no. I'm so excited about this.

Good, just so long as we both understand that we're going into an adversary hearing

where we'll be representing opposite sides.

Well, how can there be two sides to truth?

Maybe you could show me into some room where I could work undisturbed.

I'd be glad to.

Good. Adam, show Dr. Stone to the serology lab, please.

Sure thing.

I'll be eager to hear your findings.

I'll report them to Dr. Esten.

Dr. Esten!

Oh! Wow, that was a close call.

Hi, Alice.

Hi.

Oh, Alice.

I'll clean it up.

Oh, I'll handle it.

I don't understand you, Dr. Quincy.

If Dr. Stone is willing to attest that Mr. Farrell is dead,

it seems to me that reasonable men might expedite matters

by agreeing to issue an immediate death certificate.

Who says I'm reasonable?

Well, that'll be the day, right, gentlemen?

Quincy, Dr. Stone has examined the tissues.

He finds no evidence to support your position.

But the pubic symphysis is evidence.

Inconclusive.

You pointed out the abnormality yourself.

Yeah, but I have other slides.

Quincy, your dedication makes me proud that you were my student.

However, there does come a time when one must back down.

In this case, in light of the circumstances surrounding Farrell's death,

failure to issue a death certificate

is unwarranted harassment for the widow.

Dr. Stone, if we say that Farrell died in that fire, the case is closed.

Now, if we're mistaken in our identification,

we may never know who the dead person is, a murderer may go free...

You never taught me to practice forensic pathology that way.

You're confusing stubbornness with principle, Quincy.

Well, maybe I am. I just can't see it, that's all.

Dr. Astin, I have great respect for Dr. Quincy's tenacity.

But I can't allow my client to be harmed

so that he can indulge in some faceless crusade

for what he alone conceives to be truth and justice.

I don't believe that I am alone.

I'm sure that Dr. Stone agrees that there is some doubt

about the identity of the victim.

I'm afraid I can't agree with any such thing.

Dr. Astin, I believe you have the authority

to order a death certificate issued.

Oh, he doesn't. He doesn't have that kind of authority,

not without an inquest,

not when the examining pathologist questions the cause of death.

Then I would hope, doctor, that you would schedule the inquest

as soon as possible.

An inquest?

To spare this poor widow any additional suffering, yes.

An inquest.

Would Thursday at 2 o'clock be soon enough?

What are you... I need more time than that!

Thursday would be fine, doctor.

Dr. Quincy, schedule it for Thursday.

Oh, Sam, you all right? Yeah.

Watch where you kneel.

Good afternoon, Dr. Quincy. Good evening.

Hey, where are you going?

To see Mrs. Farrell, the phantom's widow.

Oh, no.

Mrs. Farrell, I know this is difficult for you,

but it could be very important to me

if I could find out something about your husband's medical history.

Well, surely you've learned the name of his doctor.

He would be a better source.

I spoke to his doctor.

Except for his eyes, your husband was in very good condition.

Well, then you've answered your own question.

Except that it doesn't gel with what I've been finding.

I understand that you and your husband

traveled out of the country a great deal,

Latin America, Indonesia,

were there any medical incidents he didn't tell his doctor about?

I don't know.

I... I don't know what he discussed with his doctor.

This is your profession.

You deal with death every day.

Are you aware of its effect on the living?

The pain, confusion, the torment.

Why are you adding to it?

I don't mean to.

The police...

The police officer asked me about Bill's glasses.

He said that you were interested.

Yes, I am.

Well, I was... I was upset.

I wasn't thinking clearly.

Bill had broken the bridge piece the morning...

the day that it happened.

I said I'd have them fixed. I just...

I never got around to it.

They've been hearing this study all the time.

Will it... Would they be of any help to you?

Yes, they will.

Good.

Then can I expect you to end this dreadful ordeal?

Well, there will be an inquest.

Because of your stubbornness?

My attorney told me that everyone was in agreement but you.

I'm sorry.

Sorry?

Well, I don't accept your apology.

Because if you were sorry, you would stop all of this.

I...

I can't discuss this with you anymore.

I really am sorry.

We could be in trouble.

You said we could meet and there was no way.

I still think so, but there's too much riding on this to take a chance.

Bill, you're not thinking of killing him.

No, you don't use blasting powder to open a tin of sardines.

It's enough if Dr. Quincy is unable to continue his activities for the next several days.

I'm sorry.

What are you sneaking around for?

I thought you were asleep. I didn't want to disturb you.

How are you feeling?

Okay. I'll get you to sleep in the hospital.

Every time you nod off, the nurse wakes you up to give you a sleeping pill.

Turn on the light, will you?

Will you pick up the weight?

You sure it's all right?

Pick it up, will you?

Besides, I don't want to sleep. I want to talk to you.

What took you so long to get here?

I had important crimes to take care of.

Well, somebody tried to kill me. That's not important.

Quincy, you walked in on a burglar.

He slugged you because you blocked his way out.

When he was hiding, why didn't he wait? I might have left.

If he wanted to kill you, why didn't he?

I don't know. Why don't you find him and ask him?

Look, in the past couple of months, there's been at least six boats ripped off down there.

Yeah, what'd he take off my boat?

Just your stereo. Probably some hyped up kid needing money for a fix.

Did he take my binoculars?

Well, they're pretty expensive.

I had a spare microscope under the table. Did he take that?

It's still there.

Well, don't you see? If he was a burglar, he would have taken everything. It was just a cover-up.

Will you stop trying to make a conspiracy?

I'll be glad you scared him off or he would have ripped you off completely. You're lucky.

I'm lucky?

My head feels like it's busted wide open.

My back feels like somebody's driving a tenon spike in it, and you say I'm lucky?

Quincy, whoever was on that boat wanted you dead. You wouldn't be breathing very good right now.

You were out cold. They could have done anything.

What about the glasses?

Well, I don't know. I didn't see them. Maybe the burglar took them.

Not mine. Faro's.

Isn't it just marvelous that his missing pair of glasses turn up as soon as there's a little heat put on the case?

I mean, when is a coincidence too coincidental for you?

When you get your teeth in the one and won't let it die a natural death.

Goodbye, Quincy. I'll let you know the results of Thursday's inquest.

What results? I'm gonna be there.

Maybe.

Maybe.

Oh, boy.

I don't believe it.

Sam here.

Sam. Quincy. Well, I feel lousy. That's why I'm in a hospital.

Yeah. How you doing with those sections for the electron microscope?

Aston said to stop work on that.

Why did Aston do that?

Well, you forget it. Get right back. Yes, I want you back on the job, and I'll keep it cooking.

Yes, sir. That's right. I want the epoxy resin polymerized in section when I get back to the lab on Thursday.

Quincy, I'm liable to get fired.

Sam, you got your choice. You can be fired Thursday by Aston when he finds out, or you can be fired by me right now.

Right. Call me tomorrow. Give me a report.

Come in. I'll talk to you then.

You got accident insurance, Quincy?

Hang yourself for me with your accident.

What'd they do, demote you? Now you're selling insurance instead of investigating claims?

No, I'm just trying to be friendly, and I just want to see if you're covered. But not by my company.

Take that weight. Put it on the rope, will you?

Oh, yeah.

There we are.

With the rates you thieves charge for insurance, I can't afford to be covered or uncovered.

Does this mean we're engaged?

I just hope we're on the same side this time.

What does that mean?

You're up against Herbert Stone in the Farrell case, aren't you?

Yeah.

You're a buddy-buddy, right?

What is the price?

I'm going after him, Quincy. I don't want you to get in my way.

Wait a minute. I mean, he's not a criminal. He's not public enemy number one.

Maybe he's not that to you.

But Stone has testified on four of my company's cases in the last six months.

And every time, he's blasted us.

Now, there were small cases, but I get the pattern.

He's your original half microscope, will testify to anything.

Max, he is truly one of the great honorable men in pathology. You flipped out.

Quincy, you're remembering the Stone of years ago. This is a different guy.

He's hustling expert witness fees and using all kinds of ruses. I know the type.

You're ripping into Stone because he testified against your company.

He cost you a few bucks, not even your money.

Yours, Quincy. Everybody's. We all have to foot the bill for fraud.

And we all have to pay the tab and higher insurance rates.

I'm not touched with your concern for my insurance costs. I know Herbert Stone.

Feral cases big time. Million dollars is involved.

Maybe a murder thrown in to make it interesting.

You wouldn't let your friendship with Stone get in the way of a heavy thing like that, would you?

You just got in the way of our friendship, Max.

I'm very tired. Do you mind?

Okay, Quincy. See you around.

Hello. Finished?

Oh, a long time ago. Do you know this hospital has managed to make a major breakthrough in science?

What's that?

It has managed to make grapefruit, orange juice, eggs, bacon, toast and coffee taste like oatmeal.

Oh, you've heard it before.

Oh, I've heard it before.

Oh, I hope you've been changes.

Hey, feeling better, huh?

Well, two visits from the busiest cop in town. I'm flattered.

I just wondered how you were feeling, that's all.

I feel pretty good. But you'd be one lousy crook, because you're a rotten liar.

Look, I was talking to the doctor. He wants you to stay in the hospital till Monday for more tests. It's very important.

Well, the inquest is important, too.

Gaston says he doesn't need you there.

He doesn't need me there? That's what he thinks because I want to be there.

Look, Quincy, I've been thinking about what you mentioned about that thief. I think maybe somebody's trying to kill you.

Oh, out of the blue you believe me now. Well, I know what you're trying to pull and you won't get away with it. You can't keep me here.

Oh, sorry.

Court order. You're under protective custody. Now you stay here until the doctor says it's okay for you to leave.

Who do you know that's big enough to keep me here?

Garcia.

Now, you just relax, take it easy, and you'll feel fine. I'll see you later.

Dr. Pierce, report to OR3, please. Dr. Pierce, please report to OR3.

I got you.

Hello, Danny's.

This is Quincy. Where you been?

What do you mean, where have I been? Right here.

Then why didn't you answer the phone?

It rang twice and I'm answering the phone.

It rang six times.

Six, two. Listen, the phone isn't attached to my ear, you know.

All right, listen, you've got to sneak me out of this hospital.

Yeah, what's the matter? You don't want to pay your hospital bill?

Will you stop with the jokes? Now, do what I tell you.

Yeah, but Quincy, how? I mean, what? You know, I've never been involved with no hospital break.

This will be a maiden effort. Now, we're going to need Sam to help us. I've got to get out of here.

Okay, here's what we'll do.

Dr. Roberts, report to emergency, please.

Dr. Roberts, please report to emergency.

Who is that?

Dr. Quincy.

He wasn't seriously injured. He was due to be released in three days.

Well, you know how fast it can happen.

Where's Dr. Stone at?

Ten minutes.

Dr. Stone is waiting in the inquest room. I want you to tell him that I have to talk to him. It's very important. I'll be in the council's room.

Quincy, whatever you want to say to Stone, he doesn't want to hear. You're only going to make it rough on him or yourself.

I'll find out, Sam. Please.

I was distressed to hear about your accident, Quincy.

Thank you.

I didn't pull you out of the inquest room to discuss the state of my health.

Quincy, my good friend, it is obvious why you called me in here. Obvious, unnecessary, and unwise.

Please, in just a few minutes, very few minutes, the inquest will be underway.

We can present our opposing views for a fair-minded public resolution.

Why should we subject ourselves to the unpleasantness of a private disagreement?

Because I have to understand. It's driving me crazy. I know you. I know how you look at things. I know what you are.

Okay. Also, I want to tell you what I've got.

I told you, this is an adversary hearing. You present your evidence, I present mine.

We're not adversaries. We're doctors. Our only adversary is disease or bad medicine or lies.

Please hear me out. I'm going to put Farrell's doctor on the stand.

I'm going to establish his physical condition and his medical record.

I will rule out the possibility of any bone abnormality affecting the pubic symphysis.

Now, that victim was at least ten years younger than Farrell.

You're wasting my time. I've looked at your slides. I differ with your interpretation.

No, no. It's not all. I ran other tests.

I will listen to whatever you have to say when that court convenes. Now, would you please move away from that door?

No. I won't have you hurt. I have evidence.

Dr. Reich would have you up on charges before the Ethics Committee of the Path Society. Your behavior is incredible.

The only charitable view is that you have temporarily lost your sanity.

And what have you lost? What happened to that doctor with the open mind?

The one who believed that the search for truth was the highest goal a man could achieve.

I see no need to defend myself. There's no point in continuing this conversation.

I'm not doing this for my sake. I'm pleading with you not to go out on a limb.

Here it is. I have electron microscopic evidence that is absolutely conclusive.

You consider the synthesis slides conclusive? My confidence in your judgment is long gone.

Don't you know the kind of reputation you're getting?

Max Wilber, the top insurance fraud investigator, said it.

He said Stone has a microscope and will testify to anything.

You're insulting. I'm sorry.

But I can't let you get on that witness stand and paint yourself into a corner.

Now believe me, I have evidence that you cannot refute.

If, as I suspect, your evidence is of a caliber with your recent performance,

I will most certainly testify that the pathological findings are not inconsistent with those that might be found in a man of Farrell's age and possible physical condition.

Not inconsistent with? Might be present? Possible physical condition? Do you hear yourself?

Those are the words that cut the hard edge of the truth.

I always leave an area for doubt. I consider none of us infallible.

I'll crucify you.

There won't be a lawyer asking you those questions. I'll be asking them. What is the answer then?

The truth, as I see it, as I always have.

Oh, not inconsistent with? Might be present? Possible physical condition? How about you get away with those words? I'll nail you.

I only testify to what I believe is possible.

It is impossible for the man who died in that fire to be Farrell.

Who do you think you're talking to? Some third year medical student? I'm Herbert Stone.

Thirty-seven years of my life have been spent in the single-minded pursuit of knowledge and honesty.

I can prove that with the imitation parchment scroll given me by the university when I was forcibly retired at the age of sixty-five.

Though I had saved a little of my professor's salary.

Though occasionally I had advanced money to students who were in some difficulty.

They were not all like you, Quincy, in the matter of repaying.

I left the university with three hundred dollars.

I may have lost some of my certainty at that point.

Well, if it's a question of money, maybe I have.

Absolutely not.

I'm at private practice now. I make a great deal of money by stating that all things are possible.

I will not go hat and hand to anyone ever again.

My wife is terminally ill. She's confined to bed, needing nursing care around the clock.

She'll have that, Quincy. She'll have anything she needs or wants.

And that is one point I am certain about.

I'll do it at the end of the list.

All rise.

This coroner's inquest will please come to order. Kindly be seated.

Case number 15211, William Farrell.

Dr. Astin.

Pardon me?

I would like to correct the record, please. Case 15211, John Doe.

The identity of the victim has not yet been established.

We stand corrected. So ordered.

The purpose of any inquest is to bring to light birth and information surrounding a death.

However, in this case, the issue is less the cause of death than the identity of the deceased.

This is not a court of law. It is a legal court of inquiry.

Subpoenaed witnesses will be questioned under oath.

And Dr. Quincy is the presiding medical examiner.

Dr. Quincy, would you state for the record the official cause of death?

The subject was killed during a fire and explosion at the Petrochemical refinery on April 27th, approximately 8 p.m.

Exact cause of death, extreme physical trauma due to the explosion.

The body of the victim was burned beyond recognition.

So the usual means of identification were useless.

Yes, Dr. Astin.

Even the teeth gave no clues about the dental work.

Or even pathology and sit-to.

The point was made that the victim was William Farrell.

I would like the jury to study this recent photograph of Mr. Farrell.

You will notice that he is a man of about...

Oh.

Sam.

To save time, we will stipulate that Mr. Farrell was 37 years of age and in good health at the time of his death.

Oh, no, no, Mr. Worland. Thank you very much. But no thank you.

Since we have not established his death,

and I don't really want a vague stipulation about his good health.

I think the jury is entitled to the specifics of his physical condition.

I call Dr. Albert Freeman.

Dr. Albert Freeman.

Why did Quincy refuse the stipulation? I don't know.

Could he have something we don't know about?

I can't answer that. He's a very resourceful pathologist.

So are you.

And have already been very well paid for your resources.

I'm depending on him. Albert Freeman.

I'm not going to let you down.

I'm not going to let you down.

I'm not going to let you down.

I'm not going to let you down.

I'm not going to let you down. I'm just saying.

Dr. Freeman, how long were you William Farrell's personal physician?

When's the last time you saw him?

Twelve years. I saw him most recently five weeks ago.

And how often did you see him during the time he was your patient?

Invariably for an annual physical checkup.

Occasionally to treat some acute condition, flu, bronchitis.

Once a very mild case of food poisoning.

And Mr. Farrell enjoyed remarkably good health.

No sign of chronic illness?

None.

Now when he came to you for these annual physicals,

did you give him the routine, urinalysis, blood chemistry, chest x-rays, EKG?

Of course.

And they were all normal?

That's correct.

No pathology. No question of disease?

None.

Thank you, doctor. Your witness.

I didn't hear anything in Freeman's testimony to hurt us, did you?

Quincy's setting the stage.

For what?

He said he'd done some additional tests.

Mr. Borland?

One moment.

You're the expert.

Do I try to take his testimony apart?

You can't.

No questions.

The witness may step down.

Step down.

You guaranteed that William Farrell died in that fire?

No, no. No, I guaranteed there'd be no proof to the contrary.

I'll stand on that statement.

That's good enough.

Circumstantial evidence that it was Farrell will prevail,

have some proof to the contrary.

Dr. Quincy.

Ladies and gentlemen,

you just heard William Farrell's doctor testify

that Mr. Farrell suffered from no chronic illness.

Now, I don't want to get technical,

but I have to try to make you understand what we're going to do.

I'm going to show you film of transmission electron microscope findings.

Sam, put the slide on.

What's he got?

Probably a basement membrane.

I don't want medical code words.

I have to see the slide.

See it? Hell, you're gonna have to shoot it down.

Now, this slide is a section of a normal arterial from bone marrow.

This is the basement membrane.

See how thin it is, well defined?

Give me the next slide, will you, Sam?

This is a similar section,

only this was taken from the decedent, the membrane.

Look how thick.

It's thick because...

How do I tell you?

It's filled with sickness.

We call it flocculant irregular hyaline thickening,

but it's sickness.

This condition never, now I repeat, never,

occurs unless the subject suffers from diabetes mellitus.

The victim who died in that fire had diabetes.

Now, we're not talking about some exotic disease

that might be overlooked or misdiagnosed.

We're talking about diabetes,

a common readily recognizable entity,

a disease from which William Farrell did not suffer.

And that's why I say it's impossible

that it was William Farrell who died in that fire.

This is where you earn your money, Doctor.

Doctor Asen.

Dr. Quincy is a highly qualified pathologist,

but his conclusions don't always have the force

of the Sermon on the Mount.

Now, he's led this jury to believe

that this slide presents irrefutable evidence,

and that is not so.

Oh, really?

Then you are prepared to refute it.

Yes, I am, indeed.

Not personally, but via one of the most

distinguished pathologists in this country,

Dr. Herbert Stone.

Just a minute.

Dr. Stone, do you refute the evidence

that Dr. Quincy has presented on that slide?

Dr. Stone, are you prepared to take the stand

and state under oath that the consequences

of diabetes have not been demonstrated here?

I'll take the stand.

Dr. Stone, before you testify,

I would like you to take a look at it.

Hold my back. Sam, the back.

Dr. Quincy, are you all right?

Well, if spasm came back, it's a diploma.

Would it help to lie down? We could take a small recess.

As a matter of fact, it would. Thank you for getting me out of here.

Very good. Thank you.

Mr. Borland, Dr. Quincy's been in an accident.

I know you won't mind if we recess for half an hour.

Take an hour, about an hour, to get the spasm.

Whatever will help. This inquest stands adjourned

until 3.20 this afternoon.

All rise.

Wait up here, Sam.

You have 35 minutes.

Thanks for reminding me.

May I come in, please?

Is the inquest over?

As far as you're concerned, it is.

What do you want? Your husband.

If that's a joke, it's in very poor taste.

Murder always is. Look, lady, I don't have time to play games.

I want you to leave.

A man was killed by your husband.

Don't insult my intelligence by telling me you don't know what I'm talking about.

You two stood to gain a million dollars.

You're a very special person, Dr. Quincy.

I have never met anyone who would intrude on the grief of a widow

with a wildly unreal, unsubstantiated accusation of murder.

I'm not angry. I am just numb with shock.

You knock it off.

I presented a refutable medical evidence at the inquest

that the man that died in that fire was not your husband.

I don't believe you.

I can't help the man who is dead,

but there is a man who will be as good as dead if I don't get your cooperation.

He'll go on that witness stand and he'll perjure himself.

And he'll destroy a lifetime of honor and decency.

And I'm not gonna let that happen.

I don't know who you're talking about, and I don't care.

Oh, I know you'd like to keep your victims nameless.

But hear this. The police know that Farrell is not dead.

They're gonna keep looking.

The insurance company knows that he is not dead.

They are not going to pay off.

Let's face it, sister, you're a loser.

I'll give you one more chance. No guarantees.

But you tell me where your husband is. I'll do everything I can for you.

These are just words. You can't prove that I've done anything.

I don't want to listen to you.

But you are listening, aren't you?

Because you know you have no choice.

When they catch up with Farrell and they're gonna catch up with him,

you'll get what he gets.

You help me, I'll help you, I swear.

Otherwise, it's murder one.

You could be lying about proving that Bill's alive.

Call the coroner's office. Inquest room three.

Ask to speak to your lawyer. He'll tell you.

Your case is lost.

Get down here.

What are you trying to do? Break my back?

What are you doing here?

I've got five minutes to make sure you guys get Farrell,

or I'm in contempt of Aston.

Where is he? He's in there. Come on.

Brill.

Hey, get that girl out of there. There's gonna be trouble.

The girl is policewoman Billings. She's got a gun under those towels.

She's captured four criminals in the past three years.

Who is it?

Maid.

Maid.

Freeze.

Walk towards me slowly.

Turn around. Up against the wall.

That's an old man with no glasses.

Must be wearing contact lenses.

You'll feel more comfortable with these.

Take him away, Brill.

Oh, well.

What's bugging you now?

We may never know who died in that fire.

Oh, sorry.

I just saw Dr. Aston.

Really?

Yeah, he offered me a job.

Consultant pathologist to the department.

I've been working on problems arising from differences between the staff pathologists.

Special situations, that sort of thing.

Sounds very interesting. I guess it doesn't pay too well.

Wouldn't get rich. Who does? But it must have its compensations.

You think I should take it?

Oh, I couldn't advise you what to do, Dr. Stone, but if Aston recommended it, I'd kind of go along with it.

Particularly when you were responsible for it.

Oh, no, no, no. Dr. Aston's a very independent man. He's very stubborn.

Oh, sure. Thanks, Quincy. Thanks for everything.

Now, is there anything I should know about?

Never ask Alice to bring you coffee.

Thanks for watching!