Perry Mason (1957) s01e03 Episode Script
The Case of the Nervous Accomplice
Thank you.
Oh, did you include the paragraph on the cost of the drilling rig? And the estimates of the well in case it has to go deeper than 5,000 feet? - Yes, sir.
- Good.
You wanna see if this covers it, Miss Howard? Thank you.
I think this ought to be a very profitable investment for both of us, Miss Howard, and I hope-- [DOOR CLOSES.]
Now, remember, this is the last time you come here.
Well, all right, Bruce.
If that's the way you feel, I'll stay out of your way.
I just wanted to make sure we had everything down in black and white.
Roxy.
- Change your mind? Ha-ha.
- I ought to kill you.
Do you see the model house, Mr.
Mason? Yes.
Well, now look at the swimming pool.
Now do you see the girl? - Quite a bit of her, as a matter of fact.
- That's Roxy Howard.
She go with the model house? No, Mr.
Mason.
She goes with my husband.
You come up here quite often, Mrs.
Granger? I guess you think it's wrong of me spying on them like this.
No, not wrong.
Just very cruel to yourself.
I thought so too at first.
I never knew that hate had a taste all of its own that kind of fills your throat and chokes you.
But it doesn't get you back the man you love.
Mr.
Mason, that's why I asked you to come up here.
Plainly because I thought if you saw what I was fighting that maybe you'd take my case.
There are any number of good divorce lawyers.
I don't want a divorce.
I want Bruce.
Oh, Mr.
Mason, he's worth fighting for.
You just can't give up of love and companionship, of being part of another person, just because one of you makes a silly mistake.
You're a very unusual woman.
No, just a woman who wants her husband.
What would you like me to do? Do you see all this property, Mr.
Mason? Well, all this property belongs to the Sylvan Glade Development Company.
- Did they put up the model home? - Yes, but that's as far as they'll go.
They think they found oil on the property now.
What's all this got to do with Miss Howard? Well, the Sylvan Glade Company didn't have enough money to drill so Miss Howard persuaded my husband to finance the operation.
And if they find oil on the property, she gets half his profits.
Not bad.
- She own that model home? - No, they're just letting her live in it.
I understand she has a very good friend in the company.
- Any idea who this friend is? - No.
Apparently Miss Howard has thought of everything.
Not quite.
Not if I can get you to block the deal.
How do you expect me to do that? By buying stock in the Sylvan Glade Company.
Oh, I'll put up the money.
But once you're a stockholder, you'll find a way.
You believe that if Miss Howard can't realise a fast profit on your husband, the romance will sour.
That's right and then she'll play the part of the nagging wife.
And when she does, I'll be there waiting with laughter and companionship.
And I'll be playing the part of the other woman.
What if your husband finds out? Oh, but he mustn't find out.
That would ruin everything.
That's why I want you to do this all in your name.
Well, Mr.
Mason? - I'll do everything I can to help.
- Oh, thank you.
But buying that stock could prove very expensive.
I'll get the money for it somehow.
Where's your son-in-law, Lutts? We wanna start the meeting.
Oh, Herbert.
Will you come on out here so we can get down to business? Sorry.
I was just getting the minutes in order.
Well, now, before Herbert reads the minutes of our Sylvan Glade Development Company, I have a couple of announcements to make.
I've asked Mr.
Granger and Miss Howard to attend this meeting so we can close the oil deal that we have with them.
We also have another guest, Mr.
Perry Mason.
What's he doing here? Mr.
Mason has bought some of my stock in the corporation.
Wait a minute, he's a lawyer, isn't he? LUTTS: That's right.
- Who are you representing? The stock is in my name.
Well, you're representing somebody.
You didn't just drop out of thin air.
Oh, Sam Elkins.
For once, let's have a meeting without all the fuss and feathers.
We've got important business here.
Business that means money in all our pockets.
Now, Mr.
Granger here is prepared to finance our drilling operations as soon as we've passed a corporate resolution to exploit the oil and mineral rights of our county property.
- We have agreed that, in exchange-- - Uh, Mr.
Chairman.
- Excuse me.
- Yes? I'm confused.
I was under the impression you were going to subdivide that county property for tract houses.
I don't care what your impression was.
We're here to talk money, not impressions, and oil is money.
And how do we know there really is oil? MASON: Most speculative.
- How many shares does he have? - Let's vote him out of the room.
I move we proceed at once to exploit the mineral and oil rights of our tract number 136.
Wait, before you vote, better have a look at your corporate bylaws, Paragraph 2, Section 16.
"It will be binding upon this corporation to secure the unanimous consent of all stockholders before undertaking any activity not specifically identified with the construction of home dwelling units and the acquisition of property therefore.
" I am unalterably opposed to the business now before this board.
Good day, gentlemen.
Can he do this to us? How much did he pay you for those shares? - Why, that's none of your business.
- It's all of our business.
If you hadn't let him buy in, this wouldn't have happened.
Well, they're my shares I can do what I like with them.
Suppose there is no oil? I've got to protect myself.
- And sell us down the river, is that it? ELKINS: Yes.
- Maybe you and Mason-- - Where do you think you're going? Isn't it obvious? The deal's off.
Oh, no, it isn't.
They'll figure something out.
As far as we're concerned, the deal is still on unless you want me to do business with your wife.
Listen to me, Mr.
Mason.
I need that stock.
I've got to get it back.
I'll give you $36,000-- Hello? Mr.
Mason.
Hello? Hello? He won't even listen to me.
He can make 10 percent on his investment in one day and he won't even listen to me.
Papa, don't get so excited.
It's bad for you.
Come on, eat your dinner before it gets cold.
What does the man want? What's he trying to do to me? Oh, so you had to buy steak at $1.
34 a pound.
What's the matter with you? You think I'm made of money? - Oh, please.
- Isn't it enough that I feed you and your husband, and clothe you, let you live in my house rent-free? Do you have to bleed me dry? Vinnie didn't mean any harm, George.
Oh, you keep out of this.
Oh, I don't know.
I don't understand.
Everybody tries to take advantage of me.
You, Elkins, Mason.
Did Mason say why he wouldn't sell the stock back to you? Oh, some nonsense about wanting to keep the property clear for development.
Ha.
But, Herbert, you're always out there, fixing up that model house.
You ever seen Mason hanging around? - No, not that I remember.
-Ever see anybody? What about Mrs.
Granger, Herbert? Sybil Granger? Bruce Granger's wife? - It's nothing.
Forget it.
- What do you mean forget it? - Did you see her there or didn't you? - Yeah.
Every day last week, wasn't it? - Oh, Vinnie, please.
- But you told me.
Papa, she's up there every afternoon on the hilltop in back of the model house.
She watches it with binoculars.
- The house? - Mm-hm.
Well, there's nothing to see at the house-- Wait a minute.
We're letting Roxy Howard live at the house.
And Bruce Granger's been paying her a lot of attention.
He's up there too, Papa.
Herbert has seen him.
- Why didn't you tell me this before? - I didn't think it was important.
- My hind foot.
- Papa, your dinner.
Keep it warm.
Vinnie, I wish you hadn't said anything about this.
Why not? At least it got his mind off the steak.
Hello, Sam? George Lutts.
No, no.
I haven't got the stock back yet, but I will.
Now, listen.
You have bank connections.
Find out if Mason deposited a cheque from Mrs.
Bruce Granger.
That's right.
Mrs.
Bruce Granger.
She's behind all our troubles.
Enjoying the view? Oh, there's no need to be scared, ma'am.
I'm George Lutts.
My company owns all this property.
How do you do? You interested in acquiring a piece of land? - No, no.
I'm just looking around.
- Hmm.
Mind if I look? Sometimes there's an awfully good view from up here.
Mm, no, nothing much to see today.
Maybe tomorrow, though.
Mr.
Lutts, why did you come up here? It certainly wasn't by accident.
Let me put it this way, ma'am.
It's just as accidental as Mr.
Mason's buying stock in my company.
The way I see it, he bought those shares for you.
I want them back.
Or else I'll tell your husband that you've been spying on him.
And also that you-- [GUNSHOT.]
Mr.
Lutts.
[ENGINE SPUTTERING.]
Taxi.
Help me! - Where to, miss? - Just drive on.
I'll tell you where later.
"Question: Mr.
Mason.
'What happened after your car went into the ditch?' Answer: Mrs.
Granger.
'I was petrified.
I didn't know which way to turn.
I just wanted to get away from there as fast as I could.
I ran down to the highway.
I was lucky enough to find this cab.
"' I don't know how lucky that is.
The driver's sure to remember you.
Did you keep your taxi receipt? Uh Yes, I think I did.
The Skyline Cab Company.
Trip number 971, $2.
95.
I gave the driver a 55-cent tip.
Do you own a gun? Yes.
My husband collects them and he gave me one.
Where is it? You don't think I shot Mr.
Lutts? Where is that gun now? It's in my car.
Let's get it.
I left it in the glove compartment.
But I thought I left it there.
If you pick someone to lie to, Mrs.
Granger, never choose your doctor or your lawyer.
In both cases, it could be fatal.
Now, I've got to call the police.
[PHONE RINGS.]
Hello? Yes, Paul.
Good.
What about the cab? All right, I'll be there in about an hour.
- Well, that's half the battle.
- Did your man get my car? - It's in your garage.
- Oh, thank heaven.
Now, what about that friend of yours, Ruth, uh--? - Ruth Marvel.
- Is she ready? She's waiting in her apartment.
- Sure you can trust her? - Of course.
With your life? - Yes.
- All right, then.
- You know what you're to do? - Certainly.
- Hello, Drake.
PAUL: Come in, partner.
We're heading south on Roxbury.
The cab is in the left lane.
Stay with him.
Frank, don't lose him if he turns on Santa Monica.
That's a bad intersection.
If that cab turns west, it could be trouble.
FRANK: No, he's going east.
- Mrs.
Granger ready? - Any time you are.
The cab's stopping.
Our man's getting in.
Good.
Stay with him.
- Hello, Mrs.
Granger.
- Yes, Mr.
Mason.
One of our men just got into that cab.
He'll have the driver take him to an address about half a block away from where you are now.
- I understand.
- He'll be coming north on Doheny.
Now, hang on, I'll keep you posted.
FRANK: Passing Hillcrest.
Still on Santa Monica.
He's turning left on Doheny now, on his way north to Sunset.
Hello, Mrs.
Granger.
Get ready.
He's coming towards you now.
Cab 761.
Should be there any minute.
- He'll drop a passenger off.
- Hold on.
Ruth, that taxi should be here any minute.
- What number? - Seven sixty-one.
- I see him.
- We see him.
Fine.
That's your man.
Now, get that cab and don't forget the receipt.
Taxi.
Taxi.
Where to, miss? Well, we're looking for a place in Beverly Hills.
I don't know the exact address.
You just drive down Sunset.
We'll tell you where to let us out.
No matter what you do, Mrs.
Granger, hold on to this taxi receipt.
I want the police to find it right off the bat.
I understand.
[INTERCOM BUZZES.]
Excuse me.
- Yes, Della? - I'm sorry to disturb you, Mr.
Mason, but Lieutenant Tragg is getting impatient.
Oh, of course.
Send him right in.
- Shall I--? - Sit right over there.
MASON: Good morning, lieutenant.
- You mean good afternoon.
I feel like I've been waiting all day.
Oh, I'm sorry.
What's on your mind? As if you had no idea.
What do you know about George Lutts? - Lutts? Oh, yes, Lutts.
- Remember him? You called and told me where I'd find his body.
- So I did.
- Yeah.
There was a gun nearby.
- What can you tell me about it? - Not a thing.
It was registered in the name of Bruce Granger.
Well, I imagine you've talked with him.
For several hours.
He was very vague.
Couldn't remember when he'd last seen it.
- So naturally, we figured, uh-- S YBIL: You're wrong.
Bruce gave it to me.
It was my gun.
- This is Mrs.
Granger.
- I see.
You mustn't blame my husband, lieutenant.
It was my gun.
Well, I think you'd best discuss this with the district attorney.
But I didn't kill Mr.
Lutts.
Then you haven't a thing to worry about.
The State of California v.
Sybil Granger.
Your Honour, this present case is perfectly simple and straightforward.
And if we can avoid endless and purposeless cross-examination, this preliminary hearing can be quickly resolved.
Do you wish to make any statement, Mr.
Mason? None whatever, Your Honour.
Proceed.
I will call Lieutenant Tragg.
Now, lieutenant, were you present when the defendant was arrested? - I was.
- Was she searched at that time? Yes, by a police matron, though I went through her purse myself.
- What did you find in her purse? - Well, the usual things.
Keys, money, cigarettes and a taxi receipt from the Skyline Cab Company.
Is this the receipt? - Yes, sir.
- How can you be sure? You'll notice I wrote my initials in the corner and the date.
If the court please, I should like this marked for exhibit.
Now, lieutenant, I notice this is dated May 3rd.
- What was the date of the murder? - May 3rd.
- The same day? - Same day.
- Were you present at the scene? - Yes, sir.
And did you examine the body - of the victim yourself? - I did.
How far would you say the gun was held from the victim at the time the fatal shot was fired? Well, between, um, 18, 20 inches.
Certainly under two feet.
How do you determine that? Well, by the powder tattooing on the skin and the dispersion of powder particles in the clothing.
Thank you, sir.
You may cross-examine.
Why did you tell me that shot came from a distance? It did.
Do you intend to cross-examine this witness, Mr.
Mason? No questions, Your Honour.
Call Jerome Keddie.
Raise your right hand.
Do you swear the evidence you're about to give is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth? - I do.
- State your name.
- Jerome Keddie.
- Be seated.
Could you tell us your occupation, Mr.
Keddie? I'm a driver for the Skyline Cab Company.
On the third day of this month, were you operating taxicab number 761 ? I was.
And where were you at about Well, I was running back empty towards the city from out near the new freeway area on the county highway.
A woman flagged me down.
She sure was nervous and upset.
I ask you to look around this courtroom and tell us if that woman is here.
There she is.
BURGER: Let the record show that the witness pointed to the defendant, Sybil Granger.
Now, Mr.
Keddie.
Where did you take Mrs.
Granger? To the Brent Building in Los Angeles.
I'm gonna show you a piece of paper marked Exhibit A and ask if you can identify this.
- Yes, it's the receipt I gave her.
- What does the receipt show? It shows the trip number, that it was my cab - and that the fare is $2.
95.
- Thank you.
Your witness.
Now, Mr.
Keddie.
- Do you know what this is? - Yes, it's one of my trip sheets.
Would you mind explaining what that means? Well, we have to keep a record of all of the fares we pick up.
- Police orders.
- Thank you.
I'd like this marked for exhibit, Your Honour.
Mr.
Keddie, this trip sheet is dated the 3rd of May.
- Is that correct? - That's right.
This passenger you picked up on the highway, the one you claim was the defendant, that was one of your first trips of the day? Oh, it was the third.
Number 971.
It's right here on the sheet.
I see.
How does it happen, then, that this receipt, the receipt you gave the defendant, is for trip number 984? - What? - Wait a minute.
Wait a minute.
Let me see that thing.
- Now let me have the receipt.
- Just a moment.
The court would like to look at those papers too, Mr.
Prosecutor.
I'm sorry, Your Honour, of course.
Well, Mr.
Keddie, I notice that trip number 984 on your sheet is one which you have marked the destination to be Whittier and Wilshire.
Oh, I remember that trip.
A couple of ladies I picked up on Sunset.
They wanted to go to a certain place in Beverly Hills, only they didn't know the address.
So I drove them around until, all of a sudden, one of them says: "Stop right here.
Here it is.
" So I stopped.
They got out and paid off.
Was one of those women this defendant? Well, you know how it is.
You pick up a lot of people.
I can't remember them too well.
The point is, Mr.
Keddie, can you swear that the woman you picked up on Sunset wasn't the defendant? No.
I can't swear it.
That's what I wanted to know.
Mr.
Prosecutor, you must admit that the testimony of this witness has become hopelessly impaired.
You would hardly be in a position to put him in front of a jury to make an absolute identification.
At the moment, I'm more interested in learning how this trap was set.
And I intend to find out.
Meantime, I'd like the defendant bound over, indicted on a charge of murder in the first degree.
Well, not unless you have additional evidence.
The testimony of this witness has been destroyed.
All right, Your Honour, then I move that this hearing be dismissed while I get additional evidence.
Motion is granted.
Court is adjourned.
Did you notice? He left a vapour trail.
He'll be back with a warrant inside of five minutes.
I didn't fool him one little bit.
- Why did you lie to me, Mrs.
Granger? - I didn't.
You told me that shot came from a distance.
- The officer must've made a mistake.
- No, not Tragg.
If he said there were powder burns, why, there were powder-- Well, speak of the devil.
Congratulations, Mason.
A brilliant performance.
Oh, it's just that the opposition wasn't up to par.
Oh, really? I thought Burger did all right.
Now, I ask you, Tragg.
He charged my client with murder and never established one link between her and the victim.
He's shown no actual proof that Lutts and Mrs.
Granger even met.
Well, you've got a point there.
You mind if I think that over for a minute? You know what you're really thinking about, don't you, Tragg? How you can delay us until Burger shows up with his warrant.
What--? Whatever gave you that impression? Well, for one thing, that deputy coming toward us right now.
What? Oh, you mean this.
Matron, Mrs.
Granger is being held for another hearing.
Well, see you later, counsellor.
I'm sorry, Mrs.
Granger.
You'll have to go with the matron.
GRANGER: Sybil.
Please, my husband.
I'm sorry.
I must go now.
I'm Bruce Granger.
Is there anything I can do to help? Aren't you a little late, Mr.
Granger? Come on, Della.
This is the spot, Perry.
See Della? This is the only place in a direct line with the hilltop that isn't obscured.
- How do we get in here? - Lutts' son-in-law might have a key.
Let's try him.
Those are all the keys my father-in-law had.
That was a Master padlock on that shack, Perry.
- None of these keys will fit.
- I'm sorry.
If there's nothing else we can do for you As a matter of fact, there is.
Did your father-in-law have any enemies? It's all right, Herbert.
George Lutts wasn't the easiest man in the world to get along with.
Not everyone liked him.
- Did you? - Ha-ha.
- Now, you listen to me.
- Never mind, Vinnie.
No, I'm gonna tell this smart lawyer a thing or two.
Do you think Herbert enjoyed working for my father? He had better offers every day of the week.
You know why he stuck? To please me.
- I see.
VINNIE: No, I don't think you do.
How could you, Mr.
Mason? You didn't have a father who was sick.
Sick about money.
Who was twisted every which way whenever he had to spend a nickel.
But he was my father and Herbert stayed with him to please me.
Thank you very much, Mrs.
Dean.
Come on, Della.
Excuse me.
[SOBBING.]
You've been under a strain, Vinnie.
It won't last much longer.
Why, lieutenant, I'm surprised at you.
- A Peeping Tom, at your age.
- Ha.
Beautiful pair of glasses.
Is that what you wanted to talk to me about? Uh-huh.
One of my men found them in a ditch.
Not far from where Lutts was shot.
Notice the initials there.
- These belong to Sybil Granger.
- Uh-huh.
And Mason said that we couldn't prove that she even knew George Lutts.
Don't tell me the lab found Lutts' fingerprints on these.
Oh, but all over.
I wonder how Mr.
Mason will explain that at the next hearing.
Mr.
Redfield, let me understand you.
You say that this exhibit is the defendant's gun, that it has her fingerprints on it and it was found near the victim's body.
Yes, sir, and it was registered in the name of Bruce Granger.
- Had it been fired? - Yes, sir, twice.
One of the cartridges was a Peters .
38 Special.
The other one was a U.
M.
C.
That was the last one fired.
Now, as ballistics expert for this department, you checked the fatal bullet to determine from which weapon it had been fired.
Isn't that correct? I did.
It was fired from that gun.
The one you're holding.
Thank you.
Cross-examine.
Mr.
Redfield, you stated there were two shots fired from the murder weapon.
- Yes.
- Which one was the fatal bullet? The first one.
The Peters .
38 Special.
Well, what happened to the bullet from the second shot, the U.
M.
C.
? We were unable to find that bullet.
It went wild.
You want us to believe that the defendant stood less than two feet away from the victim, hit him with the first shot and completely missed him with the second? I'm here to report the facts as I find them.
You can interpret them any way you want.
All right, let's interpret them my way, if you don't mind.
Now, suppose the first bullet, the bullet that killed Lutts, was fired from a distance.
Then you'd have no powder burns on the body.
Suppose the second shot was a blank.
- A blank? - Yes, if it were fired directly into the wound, say, from a distance of, oh, 19 inches, wouldn't that explain the powder burns? That would explain the powder burns, Mr.
Mason, but we could establish what happened in a second.
Oh? How? A blank cartridge has a paper wadding to hold the powder in place.
The coroner would find it in the wound.
- And none was found in the body.
- None at all.
Now, you've got to understand that a paper wadding has a tremendous penetrating force.
It can go through thick cardboard.
Then it should certainly penetrate fabric.
Without question.
Very interesting.
If it please the court, I should like to test Mr.
Redfield's thesis.
Your Honour, does counsel for the defence presume to know more about ballistics than Mr.
Redfield, a recognised expert? I see no harm in this experiment, Mr.
Burger.
As I understand it, it is solely for the purpose of clarifying your witness's testimony.
Surely you can't object to that.
Proceed, Mr.
Mason.
Now, Mr.
Redfield, would you tell the court what this is, please.
- Yes? - It's a blank.
Well, would it fit this gun, the murder weapon? It should.
It's a .
38.
Would you load it for me, please? Thank you.
Now, Mr.
Redfield, if I were to-- Oh, excuse me.
If I were to fire this blank into this fabric, what would happen? You'd have your powder burns, but you'd also have a hole in the fabric.
- Caused by the paper wadding? - Yes, sir.
All right, let's see.
Your Honour, I object.
Counsel for defence is up to his usual grandstanding.
I demand to know how that trick was accomplished.
Overruled.
It is not incumbent on Mr.
Mason to reveal how this trick was managed.
Obviously, it wasn't done with mirrors.
[LAUGHING.]
Have you any further questions of this witness? No, Your Honour.
The witness is excused.
All right, sir.
My next witness is a hostile witness.
I have her under subpoena and I would like to call her at this time, out of order, for reasons which I shall show later.
Very well, you may call the witness.
Mrs.
Ruth Marvel.
Now, keep a poker face.
They'll all be watching.
Raise your right hand.
Do you swear the evidence you're about to give is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth? - I do.
- State your name.
- Mrs.
Ruth Marvel.
- Be seated, please.
Now, Mrs.
Marvel, you know the defendant in this case, don't you? I do.
She's my friend.
You might even go farther than that, couldn't you, Mrs.
Marvel? She's my best friend.
But you've just sworn to tell the truth, and I'm sure you will, won't you? Yes, sir.
Mrs.
Marvel, I'm gonna ask you if the defendant made a statement to you as to the reason, the real reason, why she wanted to engage a certain taxi on the night of May 3rd.
Objection, Your Honour.
Counsel is cross-examining his own witness.
He's asking leading questions.
He's threatening her-- May I be heard? If the court please, I believe this witness will testify to a damaging admission on the part of the defendant.
The objection will be overruled.
All right, Mrs.
Marvel, answer the question.
She said it was a cab she had taken earlier in the day.
She said-- She said what, Mrs.
Marvel? BURGER: I must insist on your answer.
She said her lawyer had told her to take this cab, to have me ride around with her and pay him off when the meter got to $2.
95.
Would you recognise that cab driver if you saw him again? - Yes.
- Will Jerome Keddie stand up? Is that the man, Mrs.
Marvel? Yes.
Thank you.
Cross-examine.
You mustn't feel badly, Mrs.
Marvel, because the prosecution called you to testify.
The defendant told you that under my instruction, she was testing the recollection of a possible witness, didn't she? That's right.
Now, the cab driver did not recognise her, did he? At least, he showed no sign of recognition that you could see? No, sir.
That's all the defendant was trying to accomplish.
We were simply attempting to test the credibility of a witness.
Now, that's all.
Thank you.
No further questions, Your Honour.
Very well, the court is adjourned until tomorrow morning.
Over here, Perry.
I thought you'd better see this for yourself.
These tracks were made by Roxy Howard's car.
My man saw her do it.
Also, the lock's gone now.
What the devil? Paul, let me get this straight.
Your man saw Roxy Howard take a lot of junk out of here and toss it into the gully in back of her place? That's right.
He made a complete inventory.
There were some small sandbags, a few clamps, some pieces of iron pipe, 2-by-4s and, oh, yeah, a stool.
- Where's the gully? - Come on.
He showed me everything before he left.
Come on, Perry.
Wait a minute.
The stuff's gone.
It was right here.
- Who'd take it? - I don't know.
Paul, I'm gonna take a last-minute gamble.
Get hold of your operative.
Have him describe every pipe and wood that he saw.
Duplicate it and bring it to my workshop tonight.
Oh, and don't forget the sandbags.
- No good to ask you why.
- No good.
Thank you very much, sir.
That completes the prosecution's case, Your Honour.
The defence may proceed.
I call as my first witness Bruce Granger.
BAILIFF: Bruce Granger to the stand.
MASON: Mr.
Granger, what is your relationship with the defendant? I'm her husband.
- How long have you been married? - Fifteen years.
And, of course, you're very devoted to your wife? - I mean, you naturally wanna help her.
- Of course.
Of course.
Tell me.
Do you know a Miss Roxy Howard? Yes.
And what is your relationship with Miss Howard? Well, we were friends.
Then, as a friend, have you ever been to Miss Howard's home? - Yes.
- Then you know it's a completely isolated house in the Sylvan Glade Development.
- Yes.
- Well, for her personal protection, did you ever give Miss Howard lessons in shooting a revolver? - Yes.
- You own a collection of firearms? - Well, I have seven.
- They are all in your possession? Except for the one that's being held by the police.
I see.
Did you ever give Miss Howard a revolver from your collection? Answer the question, please.
Well, yeah, as a matter of fact, I did.
- Does she still have the weapon? - No, she returned it to me.
Oh? - When? - May 30th.
- What did you do with the weapon? - I put it back in my collection.
Do you, uh, have any record showing the serial numbers of your various guns? Yes.
Mr.
Granger, where do you keep your gun collection? In a locked wall compartment concealed behind a sliding panel.
And I have the only key.
[WHEELS SQUEAKING.]
What is this? I must beg the indulgence of the court.
But as part of my case, it is necessary for me to introduce in evidence some material discarded by one of the-- It's very heavy material and this is the only way I could bring it into court.
This is a disturbance we cannot tolerate.
You should have waited until the court takes a recess.
- You there, with that truck.
- Yes, Your Honour.
Wait there until counsel has finished the examination of this witness.
Then the court will take a brief recess.
It seems to me, Mr.
Mason, that you could have secured a more silent truck.
Proceed.
If the court permit, I wish this witness be instructed to check his list of serial numbers with the guns now in his possession.
And after the recess, I want him to produce that list.
The witness is so instructed.
Perhaps we can also use the time to move that truck.
The court will recess until 11:30.
Did you have to make me use this old truck? - I felt like a jackass.
- It was in a good cause, Paul.
Nothing like a little noise to upset jittery nerves.
If anyone on our list leaves the courtroom, he'll be covered.
- He'll be in a hurry.
- Will you please tell me what we're trying to do? We are laying a trap for a nervous accomplice.
HO YT: The court will come to order.
Mr.
Bruce Granger to the stand.
- What is it? - We just filled an inside straight.
Mr.
Granger, you've checked your list of serial numbers with the guns in your possession? Yes, and there's something I can't understand.
One of the guns isn't mine.
No, it's the same make and model, but it has a different serial number.
Could that weapon have been the gun Miss Howard returned to you on May 30th? - It could have been.
- That's all.
That's all, Your Honour.
HO YT: Cross-examination? Not at this time, Your Honour.
I might want to recall him later, if I may do that.
I have no objection in the least.
Will Miss Roxy Howard come forward, please? BAILIFF: Miss Roxy Howard.
Come forward and be sworn.
Now, Miss Howard, we've established that Mr.
Granger loaned you a gun.
Did you ever give that gun to someone else? - No.
- But Mr.
Granger testified that the gun you returned to him on May 30th - was not the same gun he loaned you.
- I can't help that.
Well, is Mr.
Granger lying, or was there a substitution? - I don't know.
- You don't know.
But you do know there's a construction shack near your home in the Sylvan Glade Development.
- Yes.
- Have you been inside that shack? Once or twice.
Did you ever notice any unusual equipment? Equipment that had nothing to do with the building construction.
I don't know what you mean.
With the court's permission.
[WHEELS SQUEAKING.]
Miss Howard, you ever seen this before? If Your Honour please, what possible connection can there be between that-- Whatever it is.
--and the murder of George Lutts? This enquiry's getting pretty far afield.
If Your Honour please, this is exactly the field we should be in and I can prove it.
Proceed.
Miss Howard.
Have you ever seen that before? No.
Perhaps you saw it in a different condition.
Taken apart, just pipes and wood.
I'm not sure.
Do you know what a shooting stand is? - No.
- Mr.
Granger never showed you one? I tell you, I don't know what it is.
Then you've never seen any kind of a device that would steady the aim of a marksman.
- No.
- Well, such a device must be absolutely immovable, consequently heavy.
In this case, braced by sandbags.
The person using the gun merely lays his arm in the rest, holds the barrel on a direct line with the target, then all he has to do is simply pull the trigger.
[GUN CLICKS.]
Do you still say you've never seen this before? - Well, I-- - Have you seen it, Miss Howard? - Yes.
- Where? Didn't you see a shooting stand in that construction shack? - Yes.
- What was the proposed target? It had to be someone or some object on the hilltop.
The hilltop is the only place in a direct line with a certain hole in the wall of that construction shack.
Isn't that true, Miss Howard? I don't know.
There were only two people on that hilltop.
George Lutts and Sybil Granger.
You knew that, didn't you? I didn't know Mr.
Lutts would be there.
But you were certain Mrs.
Granger would be.
- Oh, well, she always was.
- I see.
Now, Miss Howard, let's jump a step.
Why did you take that shooting stand apart - and dump the pieces in a gully? - I didn't.
But you were seen, Miss Howard.
Where do you think this came from? Now, I ask you again, Miss Howard.
Why did you take that shooting stand apart? You must have had some reason.
Did you do it to protect yourself? - No.
- Then who were you protecting? No one.
Did you tell someone you had dismantled the stand? - No.
- Then why were the pieces - removed from the gully? - You did that.
Oh, no, Miss Howard.
Someone else did that.
What you see here is purely for the purpose of demonstration.
The actual dismantled stand is in a garage not very far away from here.
Uh I don't know what you're talking about.
During the recess, the owner of that garage even ran home to make sure the stand was there.
He wanted to see if I was bluffing.
Well, it was there.
But he had no opportunity to warn you that I built that stand myself.
All right, Miss Howard, let's get down to cases.
Mr.
Granger gave you a gun.
The weapon used to murder George Lutts.
You returned a different gun.
You knew Mrs.
Granger was going to be on that hilltop.
You took a shooting stand apart, destroying evidence.
If you are not trying to protect someone, - then you murdered George Lutts.
- No, no.
I didn't.
Uh It was an accident.
It was Mrs.
Granger.
She was supposed to be the one.
You mean, you deliberately aimed at Mrs.
Granger and Lutts got in the way? No, I didn't say that.
- I didn't shoot Mr.
Lutts.
- Then who did? What are you sitting there for, letting me take the blame? Come up here, tell them.
He did it.
Herbert.
Herbert Dean.
It was his idea.
He wanted to get rid of Mrs.
Granger.
She was the only one blocking the oil deal.
Vinnie, wait, please.
You don't believe her? Let go of me.
Bailiff, hold that man.
I would have made a million dollars.
He did it.
It was all his idea.
"And again, let me thank you for all you've done on behalf of my wife.
By the time you receive this, we'll be on our way to Mexico for our second honeymoon.
" It's signed Bruce Granger.
- Mm-hm.
- Women.
I'll never understand them.
Here, she takes the guy back after she almost gets herself killed because of him.
Oh, you're wrong, Paul.
Lutts was the target from the start.
With that shooting stand, Herbert couldn't miss.
Yeah, but Roxy said that-- Oh, Herbert let Roxy think he'd made a mistake so she'd keep on helping him.
[WHEELS SQUEAKING.]
Whoa, hold it, hold it.
- What is the idea of this? - We don't want it.
It belongs to Mr.
Mason.
He introduced it in evidence.
And what are we supposed to do with this pile of junk? - You take it right out of here.
- Hold it, hold it.
It's Mr.
Mason's job to dispose of things like this.
I don't have to tell you, counsellor, you're gonna have quite a problem.
The city rubbish collection has strict orders not to pick up trash like this.
Now, I want to be reasonable, Perry.
I can handle the whole thing.
For a fee.
- Oh, that's bribery, Tragg.
- Uh-huh.
But the DA is a friend of mine.
He's not gonna give me any trouble.
You'd like to know how I worked that stunt with the blank cartridge.
That's my price.
Well, if instead of using paper wadding to hold the powder in the blank cartridge, you take some chalk, crimp just enough of it in the end of the shell to let the pressure build up, you'll burn up the powder-- And the explosion will disintegrate the chalk so there's no trace of it.
Oh Get me out of here before I use this on myself.
[LAUGHING.]
Oh, did you include the paragraph on the cost of the drilling rig? And the estimates of the well in case it has to go deeper than 5,000 feet? - Yes, sir.
- Good.
You wanna see if this covers it, Miss Howard? Thank you.
I think this ought to be a very profitable investment for both of us, Miss Howard, and I hope-- [DOOR CLOSES.]
Now, remember, this is the last time you come here.
Well, all right, Bruce.
If that's the way you feel, I'll stay out of your way.
I just wanted to make sure we had everything down in black and white.
Roxy.
- Change your mind? Ha-ha.
- I ought to kill you.
Do you see the model house, Mr.
Mason? Yes.
Well, now look at the swimming pool.
Now do you see the girl? - Quite a bit of her, as a matter of fact.
- That's Roxy Howard.
She go with the model house? No, Mr.
Mason.
She goes with my husband.
You come up here quite often, Mrs.
Granger? I guess you think it's wrong of me spying on them like this.
No, not wrong.
Just very cruel to yourself.
I thought so too at first.
I never knew that hate had a taste all of its own that kind of fills your throat and chokes you.
But it doesn't get you back the man you love.
Mr.
Mason, that's why I asked you to come up here.
Plainly because I thought if you saw what I was fighting that maybe you'd take my case.
There are any number of good divorce lawyers.
I don't want a divorce.
I want Bruce.
Oh, Mr.
Mason, he's worth fighting for.
You just can't give up of love and companionship, of being part of another person, just because one of you makes a silly mistake.
You're a very unusual woman.
No, just a woman who wants her husband.
What would you like me to do? Do you see all this property, Mr.
Mason? Well, all this property belongs to the Sylvan Glade Development Company.
- Did they put up the model home? - Yes, but that's as far as they'll go.
They think they found oil on the property now.
What's all this got to do with Miss Howard? Well, the Sylvan Glade Company didn't have enough money to drill so Miss Howard persuaded my husband to finance the operation.
And if they find oil on the property, she gets half his profits.
Not bad.
- She own that model home? - No, they're just letting her live in it.
I understand she has a very good friend in the company.
- Any idea who this friend is? - No.
Apparently Miss Howard has thought of everything.
Not quite.
Not if I can get you to block the deal.
How do you expect me to do that? By buying stock in the Sylvan Glade Company.
Oh, I'll put up the money.
But once you're a stockholder, you'll find a way.
You believe that if Miss Howard can't realise a fast profit on your husband, the romance will sour.
That's right and then she'll play the part of the nagging wife.
And when she does, I'll be there waiting with laughter and companionship.
And I'll be playing the part of the other woman.
What if your husband finds out? Oh, but he mustn't find out.
That would ruin everything.
That's why I want you to do this all in your name.
Well, Mr.
Mason? - I'll do everything I can to help.
- Oh, thank you.
But buying that stock could prove very expensive.
I'll get the money for it somehow.
Where's your son-in-law, Lutts? We wanna start the meeting.
Oh, Herbert.
Will you come on out here so we can get down to business? Sorry.
I was just getting the minutes in order.
Well, now, before Herbert reads the minutes of our Sylvan Glade Development Company, I have a couple of announcements to make.
I've asked Mr.
Granger and Miss Howard to attend this meeting so we can close the oil deal that we have with them.
We also have another guest, Mr.
Perry Mason.
What's he doing here? Mr.
Mason has bought some of my stock in the corporation.
Wait a minute, he's a lawyer, isn't he? LUTTS: That's right.
- Who are you representing? The stock is in my name.
Well, you're representing somebody.
You didn't just drop out of thin air.
Oh, Sam Elkins.
For once, let's have a meeting without all the fuss and feathers.
We've got important business here.
Business that means money in all our pockets.
Now, Mr.
Granger here is prepared to finance our drilling operations as soon as we've passed a corporate resolution to exploit the oil and mineral rights of our county property.
- We have agreed that, in exchange-- - Uh, Mr.
Chairman.
- Excuse me.
- Yes? I'm confused.
I was under the impression you were going to subdivide that county property for tract houses.
I don't care what your impression was.
We're here to talk money, not impressions, and oil is money.
And how do we know there really is oil? MASON: Most speculative.
- How many shares does he have? - Let's vote him out of the room.
I move we proceed at once to exploit the mineral and oil rights of our tract number 136.
Wait, before you vote, better have a look at your corporate bylaws, Paragraph 2, Section 16.
"It will be binding upon this corporation to secure the unanimous consent of all stockholders before undertaking any activity not specifically identified with the construction of home dwelling units and the acquisition of property therefore.
" I am unalterably opposed to the business now before this board.
Good day, gentlemen.
Can he do this to us? How much did he pay you for those shares? - Why, that's none of your business.
- It's all of our business.
If you hadn't let him buy in, this wouldn't have happened.
Well, they're my shares I can do what I like with them.
Suppose there is no oil? I've got to protect myself.
- And sell us down the river, is that it? ELKINS: Yes.
- Maybe you and Mason-- - Where do you think you're going? Isn't it obvious? The deal's off.
Oh, no, it isn't.
They'll figure something out.
As far as we're concerned, the deal is still on unless you want me to do business with your wife.
Listen to me, Mr.
Mason.
I need that stock.
I've got to get it back.
I'll give you $36,000-- Hello? Mr.
Mason.
Hello? Hello? He won't even listen to me.
He can make 10 percent on his investment in one day and he won't even listen to me.
Papa, don't get so excited.
It's bad for you.
Come on, eat your dinner before it gets cold.
What does the man want? What's he trying to do to me? Oh, so you had to buy steak at $1.
34 a pound.
What's the matter with you? You think I'm made of money? - Oh, please.
- Isn't it enough that I feed you and your husband, and clothe you, let you live in my house rent-free? Do you have to bleed me dry? Vinnie didn't mean any harm, George.
Oh, you keep out of this.
Oh, I don't know.
I don't understand.
Everybody tries to take advantage of me.
You, Elkins, Mason.
Did Mason say why he wouldn't sell the stock back to you? Oh, some nonsense about wanting to keep the property clear for development.
Ha.
But, Herbert, you're always out there, fixing up that model house.
You ever seen Mason hanging around? - No, not that I remember.
-Ever see anybody? What about Mrs.
Granger, Herbert? Sybil Granger? Bruce Granger's wife? - It's nothing.
Forget it.
- What do you mean forget it? - Did you see her there or didn't you? - Yeah.
Every day last week, wasn't it? - Oh, Vinnie, please.
- But you told me.
Papa, she's up there every afternoon on the hilltop in back of the model house.
She watches it with binoculars.
- The house? - Mm-hm.
Well, there's nothing to see at the house-- Wait a minute.
We're letting Roxy Howard live at the house.
And Bruce Granger's been paying her a lot of attention.
He's up there too, Papa.
Herbert has seen him.
- Why didn't you tell me this before? - I didn't think it was important.
- My hind foot.
- Papa, your dinner.
Keep it warm.
Vinnie, I wish you hadn't said anything about this.
Why not? At least it got his mind off the steak.
Hello, Sam? George Lutts.
No, no.
I haven't got the stock back yet, but I will.
Now, listen.
You have bank connections.
Find out if Mason deposited a cheque from Mrs.
Bruce Granger.
That's right.
Mrs.
Bruce Granger.
She's behind all our troubles.
Enjoying the view? Oh, there's no need to be scared, ma'am.
I'm George Lutts.
My company owns all this property.
How do you do? You interested in acquiring a piece of land? - No, no.
I'm just looking around.
- Hmm.
Mind if I look? Sometimes there's an awfully good view from up here.
Mm, no, nothing much to see today.
Maybe tomorrow, though.
Mr.
Lutts, why did you come up here? It certainly wasn't by accident.
Let me put it this way, ma'am.
It's just as accidental as Mr.
Mason's buying stock in my company.
The way I see it, he bought those shares for you.
I want them back.
Or else I'll tell your husband that you've been spying on him.
And also that you-- [GUNSHOT.]
Mr.
Lutts.
[ENGINE SPUTTERING.]
Taxi.
Help me! - Where to, miss? - Just drive on.
I'll tell you where later.
"Question: Mr.
Mason.
'What happened after your car went into the ditch?' Answer: Mrs.
Granger.
'I was petrified.
I didn't know which way to turn.
I just wanted to get away from there as fast as I could.
I ran down to the highway.
I was lucky enough to find this cab.
"' I don't know how lucky that is.
The driver's sure to remember you.
Did you keep your taxi receipt? Uh Yes, I think I did.
The Skyline Cab Company.
Trip number 971, $2.
95.
I gave the driver a 55-cent tip.
Do you own a gun? Yes.
My husband collects them and he gave me one.
Where is it? You don't think I shot Mr.
Lutts? Where is that gun now? It's in my car.
Let's get it.
I left it in the glove compartment.
But I thought I left it there.
If you pick someone to lie to, Mrs.
Granger, never choose your doctor or your lawyer.
In both cases, it could be fatal.
Now, I've got to call the police.
[PHONE RINGS.]
Hello? Yes, Paul.
Good.
What about the cab? All right, I'll be there in about an hour.
- Well, that's half the battle.
- Did your man get my car? - It's in your garage.
- Oh, thank heaven.
Now, what about that friend of yours, Ruth, uh--? - Ruth Marvel.
- Is she ready? She's waiting in her apartment.
- Sure you can trust her? - Of course.
With your life? - Yes.
- All right, then.
- You know what you're to do? - Certainly.
- Hello, Drake.
PAUL: Come in, partner.
We're heading south on Roxbury.
The cab is in the left lane.
Stay with him.
Frank, don't lose him if he turns on Santa Monica.
That's a bad intersection.
If that cab turns west, it could be trouble.
FRANK: No, he's going east.
- Mrs.
Granger ready? - Any time you are.
The cab's stopping.
Our man's getting in.
Good.
Stay with him.
- Hello, Mrs.
Granger.
- Yes, Mr.
Mason.
One of our men just got into that cab.
He'll have the driver take him to an address about half a block away from where you are now.
- I understand.
- He'll be coming north on Doheny.
Now, hang on, I'll keep you posted.
FRANK: Passing Hillcrest.
Still on Santa Monica.
He's turning left on Doheny now, on his way north to Sunset.
Hello, Mrs.
Granger.
Get ready.
He's coming towards you now.
Cab 761.
Should be there any minute.
- He'll drop a passenger off.
- Hold on.
Ruth, that taxi should be here any minute.
- What number? - Seven sixty-one.
- I see him.
- We see him.
Fine.
That's your man.
Now, get that cab and don't forget the receipt.
Taxi.
Taxi.
Where to, miss? Well, we're looking for a place in Beverly Hills.
I don't know the exact address.
You just drive down Sunset.
We'll tell you where to let us out.
No matter what you do, Mrs.
Granger, hold on to this taxi receipt.
I want the police to find it right off the bat.
I understand.
[INTERCOM BUZZES.]
Excuse me.
- Yes, Della? - I'm sorry to disturb you, Mr.
Mason, but Lieutenant Tragg is getting impatient.
Oh, of course.
Send him right in.
- Shall I--? - Sit right over there.
MASON: Good morning, lieutenant.
- You mean good afternoon.
I feel like I've been waiting all day.
Oh, I'm sorry.
What's on your mind? As if you had no idea.
What do you know about George Lutts? - Lutts? Oh, yes, Lutts.
- Remember him? You called and told me where I'd find his body.
- So I did.
- Yeah.
There was a gun nearby.
- What can you tell me about it? - Not a thing.
It was registered in the name of Bruce Granger.
Well, I imagine you've talked with him.
For several hours.
He was very vague.
Couldn't remember when he'd last seen it.
- So naturally, we figured, uh-- S YBIL: You're wrong.
Bruce gave it to me.
It was my gun.
- This is Mrs.
Granger.
- I see.
You mustn't blame my husband, lieutenant.
It was my gun.
Well, I think you'd best discuss this with the district attorney.
But I didn't kill Mr.
Lutts.
Then you haven't a thing to worry about.
The State of California v.
Sybil Granger.
Your Honour, this present case is perfectly simple and straightforward.
And if we can avoid endless and purposeless cross-examination, this preliminary hearing can be quickly resolved.
Do you wish to make any statement, Mr.
Mason? None whatever, Your Honour.
Proceed.
I will call Lieutenant Tragg.
Now, lieutenant, were you present when the defendant was arrested? - I was.
- Was she searched at that time? Yes, by a police matron, though I went through her purse myself.
- What did you find in her purse? - Well, the usual things.
Keys, money, cigarettes and a taxi receipt from the Skyline Cab Company.
Is this the receipt? - Yes, sir.
- How can you be sure? You'll notice I wrote my initials in the corner and the date.
If the court please, I should like this marked for exhibit.
Now, lieutenant, I notice this is dated May 3rd.
- What was the date of the murder? - May 3rd.
- The same day? - Same day.
- Were you present at the scene? - Yes, sir.
And did you examine the body - of the victim yourself? - I did.
How far would you say the gun was held from the victim at the time the fatal shot was fired? Well, between, um, 18, 20 inches.
Certainly under two feet.
How do you determine that? Well, by the powder tattooing on the skin and the dispersion of powder particles in the clothing.
Thank you, sir.
You may cross-examine.
Why did you tell me that shot came from a distance? It did.
Do you intend to cross-examine this witness, Mr.
Mason? No questions, Your Honour.
Call Jerome Keddie.
Raise your right hand.
Do you swear the evidence you're about to give is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth? - I do.
- State your name.
- Jerome Keddie.
- Be seated.
Could you tell us your occupation, Mr.
Keddie? I'm a driver for the Skyline Cab Company.
On the third day of this month, were you operating taxicab number 761 ? I was.
And where were you at about Well, I was running back empty towards the city from out near the new freeway area on the county highway.
A woman flagged me down.
She sure was nervous and upset.
I ask you to look around this courtroom and tell us if that woman is here.
There she is.
BURGER: Let the record show that the witness pointed to the defendant, Sybil Granger.
Now, Mr.
Keddie.
Where did you take Mrs.
Granger? To the Brent Building in Los Angeles.
I'm gonna show you a piece of paper marked Exhibit A and ask if you can identify this.
- Yes, it's the receipt I gave her.
- What does the receipt show? It shows the trip number, that it was my cab - and that the fare is $2.
95.
- Thank you.
Your witness.
Now, Mr.
Keddie.
- Do you know what this is? - Yes, it's one of my trip sheets.
Would you mind explaining what that means? Well, we have to keep a record of all of the fares we pick up.
- Police orders.
- Thank you.
I'd like this marked for exhibit, Your Honour.
Mr.
Keddie, this trip sheet is dated the 3rd of May.
- Is that correct? - That's right.
This passenger you picked up on the highway, the one you claim was the defendant, that was one of your first trips of the day? Oh, it was the third.
Number 971.
It's right here on the sheet.
I see.
How does it happen, then, that this receipt, the receipt you gave the defendant, is for trip number 984? - What? - Wait a minute.
Wait a minute.
Let me see that thing.
- Now let me have the receipt.
- Just a moment.
The court would like to look at those papers too, Mr.
Prosecutor.
I'm sorry, Your Honour, of course.
Well, Mr.
Keddie, I notice that trip number 984 on your sheet is one which you have marked the destination to be Whittier and Wilshire.
Oh, I remember that trip.
A couple of ladies I picked up on Sunset.
They wanted to go to a certain place in Beverly Hills, only they didn't know the address.
So I drove them around until, all of a sudden, one of them says: "Stop right here.
Here it is.
" So I stopped.
They got out and paid off.
Was one of those women this defendant? Well, you know how it is.
You pick up a lot of people.
I can't remember them too well.
The point is, Mr.
Keddie, can you swear that the woman you picked up on Sunset wasn't the defendant? No.
I can't swear it.
That's what I wanted to know.
Mr.
Prosecutor, you must admit that the testimony of this witness has become hopelessly impaired.
You would hardly be in a position to put him in front of a jury to make an absolute identification.
At the moment, I'm more interested in learning how this trap was set.
And I intend to find out.
Meantime, I'd like the defendant bound over, indicted on a charge of murder in the first degree.
Well, not unless you have additional evidence.
The testimony of this witness has been destroyed.
All right, Your Honour, then I move that this hearing be dismissed while I get additional evidence.
Motion is granted.
Court is adjourned.
Did you notice? He left a vapour trail.
He'll be back with a warrant inside of five minutes.
I didn't fool him one little bit.
- Why did you lie to me, Mrs.
Granger? - I didn't.
You told me that shot came from a distance.
- The officer must've made a mistake.
- No, not Tragg.
If he said there were powder burns, why, there were powder-- Well, speak of the devil.
Congratulations, Mason.
A brilliant performance.
Oh, it's just that the opposition wasn't up to par.
Oh, really? I thought Burger did all right.
Now, I ask you, Tragg.
He charged my client with murder and never established one link between her and the victim.
He's shown no actual proof that Lutts and Mrs.
Granger even met.
Well, you've got a point there.
You mind if I think that over for a minute? You know what you're really thinking about, don't you, Tragg? How you can delay us until Burger shows up with his warrant.
What--? Whatever gave you that impression? Well, for one thing, that deputy coming toward us right now.
What? Oh, you mean this.
Matron, Mrs.
Granger is being held for another hearing.
Well, see you later, counsellor.
I'm sorry, Mrs.
Granger.
You'll have to go with the matron.
GRANGER: Sybil.
Please, my husband.
I'm sorry.
I must go now.
I'm Bruce Granger.
Is there anything I can do to help? Aren't you a little late, Mr.
Granger? Come on, Della.
This is the spot, Perry.
See Della? This is the only place in a direct line with the hilltop that isn't obscured.
- How do we get in here? - Lutts' son-in-law might have a key.
Let's try him.
Those are all the keys my father-in-law had.
That was a Master padlock on that shack, Perry.
- None of these keys will fit.
- I'm sorry.
If there's nothing else we can do for you As a matter of fact, there is.
Did your father-in-law have any enemies? It's all right, Herbert.
George Lutts wasn't the easiest man in the world to get along with.
Not everyone liked him.
- Did you? - Ha-ha.
- Now, you listen to me.
- Never mind, Vinnie.
No, I'm gonna tell this smart lawyer a thing or two.
Do you think Herbert enjoyed working for my father? He had better offers every day of the week.
You know why he stuck? To please me.
- I see.
VINNIE: No, I don't think you do.
How could you, Mr.
Mason? You didn't have a father who was sick.
Sick about money.
Who was twisted every which way whenever he had to spend a nickel.
But he was my father and Herbert stayed with him to please me.
Thank you very much, Mrs.
Dean.
Come on, Della.
Excuse me.
[SOBBING.]
You've been under a strain, Vinnie.
It won't last much longer.
Why, lieutenant, I'm surprised at you.
- A Peeping Tom, at your age.
- Ha.
Beautiful pair of glasses.
Is that what you wanted to talk to me about? Uh-huh.
One of my men found them in a ditch.
Not far from where Lutts was shot.
Notice the initials there.
- These belong to Sybil Granger.
- Uh-huh.
And Mason said that we couldn't prove that she even knew George Lutts.
Don't tell me the lab found Lutts' fingerprints on these.
Oh, but all over.
I wonder how Mr.
Mason will explain that at the next hearing.
Mr.
Redfield, let me understand you.
You say that this exhibit is the defendant's gun, that it has her fingerprints on it and it was found near the victim's body.
Yes, sir, and it was registered in the name of Bruce Granger.
- Had it been fired? - Yes, sir, twice.
One of the cartridges was a Peters .
38 Special.
The other one was a U.
M.
C.
That was the last one fired.
Now, as ballistics expert for this department, you checked the fatal bullet to determine from which weapon it had been fired.
Isn't that correct? I did.
It was fired from that gun.
The one you're holding.
Thank you.
Cross-examine.
Mr.
Redfield, you stated there were two shots fired from the murder weapon.
- Yes.
- Which one was the fatal bullet? The first one.
The Peters .
38 Special.
Well, what happened to the bullet from the second shot, the U.
M.
C.
? We were unable to find that bullet.
It went wild.
You want us to believe that the defendant stood less than two feet away from the victim, hit him with the first shot and completely missed him with the second? I'm here to report the facts as I find them.
You can interpret them any way you want.
All right, let's interpret them my way, if you don't mind.
Now, suppose the first bullet, the bullet that killed Lutts, was fired from a distance.
Then you'd have no powder burns on the body.
Suppose the second shot was a blank.
- A blank? - Yes, if it were fired directly into the wound, say, from a distance of, oh, 19 inches, wouldn't that explain the powder burns? That would explain the powder burns, Mr.
Mason, but we could establish what happened in a second.
Oh? How? A blank cartridge has a paper wadding to hold the powder in place.
The coroner would find it in the wound.
- And none was found in the body.
- None at all.
Now, you've got to understand that a paper wadding has a tremendous penetrating force.
It can go through thick cardboard.
Then it should certainly penetrate fabric.
Without question.
Very interesting.
If it please the court, I should like to test Mr.
Redfield's thesis.
Your Honour, does counsel for the defence presume to know more about ballistics than Mr.
Redfield, a recognised expert? I see no harm in this experiment, Mr.
Burger.
As I understand it, it is solely for the purpose of clarifying your witness's testimony.
Surely you can't object to that.
Proceed, Mr.
Mason.
Now, Mr.
Redfield, would you tell the court what this is, please.
- Yes? - It's a blank.
Well, would it fit this gun, the murder weapon? It should.
It's a .
38.
Would you load it for me, please? Thank you.
Now, Mr.
Redfield, if I were to-- Oh, excuse me.
If I were to fire this blank into this fabric, what would happen? You'd have your powder burns, but you'd also have a hole in the fabric.
- Caused by the paper wadding? - Yes, sir.
All right, let's see.
Your Honour, I object.
Counsel for defence is up to his usual grandstanding.
I demand to know how that trick was accomplished.
Overruled.
It is not incumbent on Mr.
Mason to reveal how this trick was managed.
Obviously, it wasn't done with mirrors.
[LAUGHING.]
Have you any further questions of this witness? No, Your Honour.
The witness is excused.
All right, sir.
My next witness is a hostile witness.
I have her under subpoena and I would like to call her at this time, out of order, for reasons which I shall show later.
Very well, you may call the witness.
Mrs.
Ruth Marvel.
Now, keep a poker face.
They'll all be watching.
Raise your right hand.
Do you swear the evidence you're about to give is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth? - I do.
- State your name.
- Mrs.
Ruth Marvel.
- Be seated, please.
Now, Mrs.
Marvel, you know the defendant in this case, don't you? I do.
She's my friend.
You might even go farther than that, couldn't you, Mrs.
Marvel? She's my best friend.
But you've just sworn to tell the truth, and I'm sure you will, won't you? Yes, sir.
Mrs.
Marvel, I'm gonna ask you if the defendant made a statement to you as to the reason, the real reason, why she wanted to engage a certain taxi on the night of May 3rd.
Objection, Your Honour.
Counsel is cross-examining his own witness.
He's asking leading questions.
He's threatening her-- May I be heard? If the court please, I believe this witness will testify to a damaging admission on the part of the defendant.
The objection will be overruled.
All right, Mrs.
Marvel, answer the question.
She said it was a cab she had taken earlier in the day.
She said-- She said what, Mrs.
Marvel? BURGER: I must insist on your answer.
She said her lawyer had told her to take this cab, to have me ride around with her and pay him off when the meter got to $2.
95.
Would you recognise that cab driver if you saw him again? - Yes.
- Will Jerome Keddie stand up? Is that the man, Mrs.
Marvel? Yes.
Thank you.
Cross-examine.
You mustn't feel badly, Mrs.
Marvel, because the prosecution called you to testify.
The defendant told you that under my instruction, she was testing the recollection of a possible witness, didn't she? That's right.
Now, the cab driver did not recognise her, did he? At least, he showed no sign of recognition that you could see? No, sir.
That's all the defendant was trying to accomplish.
We were simply attempting to test the credibility of a witness.
Now, that's all.
Thank you.
No further questions, Your Honour.
Very well, the court is adjourned until tomorrow morning.
Over here, Perry.
I thought you'd better see this for yourself.
These tracks were made by Roxy Howard's car.
My man saw her do it.
Also, the lock's gone now.
What the devil? Paul, let me get this straight.
Your man saw Roxy Howard take a lot of junk out of here and toss it into the gully in back of her place? That's right.
He made a complete inventory.
There were some small sandbags, a few clamps, some pieces of iron pipe, 2-by-4s and, oh, yeah, a stool.
- Where's the gully? - Come on.
He showed me everything before he left.
Come on, Perry.
Wait a minute.
The stuff's gone.
It was right here.
- Who'd take it? - I don't know.
Paul, I'm gonna take a last-minute gamble.
Get hold of your operative.
Have him describe every pipe and wood that he saw.
Duplicate it and bring it to my workshop tonight.
Oh, and don't forget the sandbags.
- No good to ask you why.
- No good.
Thank you very much, sir.
That completes the prosecution's case, Your Honour.
The defence may proceed.
I call as my first witness Bruce Granger.
BAILIFF: Bruce Granger to the stand.
MASON: Mr.
Granger, what is your relationship with the defendant? I'm her husband.
- How long have you been married? - Fifteen years.
And, of course, you're very devoted to your wife? - I mean, you naturally wanna help her.
- Of course.
Of course.
Tell me.
Do you know a Miss Roxy Howard? Yes.
And what is your relationship with Miss Howard? Well, we were friends.
Then, as a friend, have you ever been to Miss Howard's home? - Yes.
- Then you know it's a completely isolated house in the Sylvan Glade Development.
- Yes.
- Well, for her personal protection, did you ever give Miss Howard lessons in shooting a revolver? - Yes.
- You own a collection of firearms? - Well, I have seven.
- They are all in your possession? Except for the one that's being held by the police.
I see.
Did you ever give Miss Howard a revolver from your collection? Answer the question, please.
Well, yeah, as a matter of fact, I did.
- Does she still have the weapon? - No, she returned it to me.
Oh? - When? - May 30th.
- What did you do with the weapon? - I put it back in my collection.
Do you, uh, have any record showing the serial numbers of your various guns? Yes.
Mr.
Granger, where do you keep your gun collection? In a locked wall compartment concealed behind a sliding panel.
And I have the only key.
[WHEELS SQUEAKING.]
What is this? I must beg the indulgence of the court.
But as part of my case, it is necessary for me to introduce in evidence some material discarded by one of the-- It's very heavy material and this is the only way I could bring it into court.
This is a disturbance we cannot tolerate.
You should have waited until the court takes a recess.
- You there, with that truck.
- Yes, Your Honour.
Wait there until counsel has finished the examination of this witness.
Then the court will take a brief recess.
It seems to me, Mr.
Mason, that you could have secured a more silent truck.
Proceed.
If the court permit, I wish this witness be instructed to check his list of serial numbers with the guns now in his possession.
And after the recess, I want him to produce that list.
The witness is so instructed.
Perhaps we can also use the time to move that truck.
The court will recess until 11:30.
Did you have to make me use this old truck? - I felt like a jackass.
- It was in a good cause, Paul.
Nothing like a little noise to upset jittery nerves.
If anyone on our list leaves the courtroom, he'll be covered.
- He'll be in a hurry.
- Will you please tell me what we're trying to do? We are laying a trap for a nervous accomplice.
HO YT: The court will come to order.
Mr.
Bruce Granger to the stand.
- What is it? - We just filled an inside straight.
Mr.
Granger, you've checked your list of serial numbers with the guns in your possession? Yes, and there's something I can't understand.
One of the guns isn't mine.
No, it's the same make and model, but it has a different serial number.
Could that weapon have been the gun Miss Howard returned to you on May 30th? - It could have been.
- That's all.
That's all, Your Honour.
HO YT: Cross-examination? Not at this time, Your Honour.
I might want to recall him later, if I may do that.
I have no objection in the least.
Will Miss Roxy Howard come forward, please? BAILIFF: Miss Roxy Howard.
Come forward and be sworn.
Now, Miss Howard, we've established that Mr.
Granger loaned you a gun.
Did you ever give that gun to someone else? - No.
- But Mr.
Granger testified that the gun you returned to him on May 30th - was not the same gun he loaned you.
- I can't help that.
Well, is Mr.
Granger lying, or was there a substitution? - I don't know.
- You don't know.
But you do know there's a construction shack near your home in the Sylvan Glade Development.
- Yes.
- Have you been inside that shack? Once or twice.
Did you ever notice any unusual equipment? Equipment that had nothing to do with the building construction.
I don't know what you mean.
With the court's permission.
[WHEELS SQUEAKING.]
Miss Howard, you ever seen this before? If Your Honour please, what possible connection can there be between that-- Whatever it is.
--and the murder of George Lutts? This enquiry's getting pretty far afield.
If Your Honour please, this is exactly the field we should be in and I can prove it.
Proceed.
Miss Howard.
Have you ever seen that before? No.
Perhaps you saw it in a different condition.
Taken apart, just pipes and wood.
I'm not sure.
Do you know what a shooting stand is? - No.
- Mr.
Granger never showed you one? I tell you, I don't know what it is.
Then you've never seen any kind of a device that would steady the aim of a marksman.
- No.
- Well, such a device must be absolutely immovable, consequently heavy.
In this case, braced by sandbags.
The person using the gun merely lays his arm in the rest, holds the barrel on a direct line with the target, then all he has to do is simply pull the trigger.
[GUN CLICKS.]
Do you still say you've never seen this before? - Well, I-- - Have you seen it, Miss Howard? - Yes.
- Where? Didn't you see a shooting stand in that construction shack? - Yes.
- What was the proposed target? It had to be someone or some object on the hilltop.
The hilltop is the only place in a direct line with a certain hole in the wall of that construction shack.
Isn't that true, Miss Howard? I don't know.
There were only two people on that hilltop.
George Lutts and Sybil Granger.
You knew that, didn't you? I didn't know Mr.
Lutts would be there.
But you were certain Mrs.
Granger would be.
- Oh, well, she always was.
- I see.
Now, Miss Howard, let's jump a step.
Why did you take that shooting stand apart - and dump the pieces in a gully? - I didn't.
But you were seen, Miss Howard.
Where do you think this came from? Now, I ask you again, Miss Howard.
Why did you take that shooting stand apart? You must have had some reason.
Did you do it to protect yourself? - No.
- Then who were you protecting? No one.
Did you tell someone you had dismantled the stand? - No.
- Then why were the pieces - removed from the gully? - You did that.
Oh, no, Miss Howard.
Someone else did that.
What you see here is purely for the purpose of demonstration.
The actual dismantled stand is in a garage not very far away from here.
Uh I don't know what you're talking about.
During the recess, the owner of that garage even ran home to make sure the stand was there.
He wanted to see if I was bluffing.
Well, it was there.
But he had no opportunity to warn you that I built that stand myself.
All right, Miss Howard, let's get down to cases.
Mr.
Granger gave you a gun.
The weapon used to murder George Lutts.
You returned a different gun.
You knew Mrs.
Granger was going to be on that hilltop.
You took a shooting stand apart, destroying evidence.
If you are not trying to protect someone, - then you murdered George Lutts.
- No, no.
I didn't.
Uh It was an accident.
It was Mrs.
Granger.
She was supposed to be the one.
You mean, you deliberately aimed at Mrs.
Granger and Lutts got in the way? No, I didn't say that.
- I didn't shoot Mr.
Lutts.
- Then who did? What are you sitting there for, letting me take the blame? Come up here, tell them.
He did it.
Herbert.
Herbert Dean.
It was his idea.
He wanted to get rid of Mrs.
Granger.
She was the only one blocking the oil deal.
Vinnie, wait, please.
You don't believe her? Let go of me.
Bailiff, hold that man.
I would have made a million dollars.
He did it.
It was all his idea.
"And again, let me thank you for all you've done on behalf of my wife.
By the time you receive this, we'll be on our way to Mexico for our second honeymoon.
" It's signed Bruce Granger.
- Mm-hm.
- Women.
I'll never understand them.
Here, she takes the guy back after she almost gets herself killed because of him.
Oh, you're wrong, Paul.
Lutts was the target from the start.
With that shooting stand, Herbert couldn't miss.
Yeah, but Roxy said that-- Oh, Herbert let Roxy think he'd made a mistake so she'd keep on helping him.
[WHEELS SQUEAKING.]
Whoa, hold it, hold it.
- What is the idea of this? - We don't want it.
It belongs to Mr.
Mason.
He introduced it in evidence.
And what are we supposed to do with this pile of junk? - You take it right out of here.
- Hold it, hold it.
It's Mr.
Mason's job to dispose of things like this.
I don't have to tell you, counsellor, you're gonna have quite a problem.
The city rubbish collection has strict orders not to pick up trash like this.
Now, I want to be reasonable, Perry.
I can handle the whole thing.
For a fee.
- Oh, that's bribery, Tragg.
- Uh-huh.
But the DA is a friend of mine.
He's not gonna give me any trouble.
You'd like to know how I worked that stunt with the blank cartridge.
That's my price.
Well, if instead of using paper wadding to hold the powder in the blank cartridge, you take some chalk, crimp just enough of it in the end of the shell to let the pressure build up, you'll burn up the powder-- And the explosion will disintegrate the chalk so there's no trace of it.
Oh Get me out of here before I use this on myself.
[LAUGHING.]