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Guilty as Sin (1993)
Sustained.
Proceed, Mr Schiff. when you entered that Suite 405 of the Holiday lnn. Mr Lombardo was alone in the room with Richard Colbert, a deputy director of the lnternal Revenue Service, who was kneeling beside a coffee table counting out stacks of $100 bills. And will you tell the jury how you knew of this... Therefore, with probable cause, you applied for a warrant? - Yes, sir. - Which Federal Judge Griffen granted. Thank you. Your witness. Agent Powell, as you know, my client, Ed Lombardo, - is charged with extortion. - Yes, ma'am. Did you observe Richard Colbert when he first entered the hotel? - Yes, ma'am. - Was he carrying anything? - No, ma'am. - Why not? We didn't want him to know that we were there. So Richard Colbert could have conceivably brought the $125,000 in with him. He could or he could not have. Your agency has a well-deserved reputation for thoroughness. Did you also investigate Richard Colbert's background... to ascertain why he might have been carrying such a large sum? - The man gambled. - l'm sorry. l didn't hear that. that Colbert came there that night to place a bet? Agent Powell, hadn't a division of your task force been trying to link Mr Lombardo... - We have. - And in those circles, $125,000 would not be considered an unusually large wager. - Am l correct? - l heard of bets like that. And wasn't your arrest made just two days before the Super Bowl? - Yes. - Agent Powell, did you-- - l've got everything l need. - You're sensational, Counsellor. - What would it take to keep you on retainer? - A lot. Here's the situation: The FBl had a Title lll wiretap authorization, all right, but it expired five days before the arrest. No, no, they followed the rules. They pulled the tap. Well, then how'd they find out about a meeting that was planned just the day before? An FBl guy working inside the Lombardo organization. They're not gonna risk blowing his cover to get a simple bribery conviction. Don't worry. You won't. No matter what l need, you're always there for me. Count on it. You know, if your mother hadn't turned me down nine times, l-l'd be your father. ls it unethical for me to ask just how you got your information? Well, there's a secretary over at the Justice Department. And there is nothing a 62-year-old woman won't do... for a date with a six-- 72-year-old man. Goddam it! lt took us two and a half years to get this man into position. lt'll take them no time to finger him and kill him! My job is to get Ed Lombardo off, not to aid and abet... in exposing a federal undercover agent. My client knows nothing about this conversation. -Well, how can l rely on you to keep quiet? -Because l'm giving you my word! l'll leave it to you two to figure a way out of this. - Got it here as fast as l could. - Oh, thanks. By the way, your fan is back again. He's been here every day. l mean, he's gorgeous. He can't take his eyes off you. You want me to find out what he wants? - l know what he wants. - All rise! Your Honour, might l ask the court to examine this document, please? Well, Mr Schiff, what do you have to say about this? maintained the taps until the date of arrest. - Yes, it appears so. - Your Honour, on that basis, l'd like to move... for a directed verdict of not guilty. l have no choice but to grant the motion. The defendant is released from custody. These proceedings are adjourned. Yes! Couldn't you have found something a little more official? lt's my favourite Chinese joint. Not bad for a night school lawyer. See you next time, Counsellor. Not necessarily. Ladies and gentlemen, first of all l'd like to thank... my brilliant attorney, Jennifer Haines. She knew l was an innocent man. of American justice. Thank you very much. How are you tonight, Miss Haines? Very well. ls there anything better than winning? Hope your day was as good as mine. - lt was pretty good, in fact. - Really? Does this mean it's time to go home? You'll never make it to the parking lot. - What about the cleaning crew? - Mmm, they don't get here 'til about midnight. Should be done with you by then. You know, sometimes l wonder why we both even bother to pay rent. We both have kitchens; we eat out every night. We have bedrooms, but we only sleep in them. You think there's something wrong with us? Think we should be more conventional? Check into a seedy motel? l don't have to get up tomorrow. Well, l do. Well, our flight to Aspen isn't 'til 6:00. Jen, you better get yourself a good criminal attorney. - Why? - Because you're gonna murder me. - Why? - Because this damned acquisition... gets more complicated every day. - l'll make it up to you. - l've heard this before. Hey! You, of all people, should understand. l can't help it. lt's work. So is this relationship. - Way to go, Jennifer! - Hey, hey. Have you seen the morning paper? Get a load of the picture on page three. Hope they didn't catch me with my eyes closed and my mouth open, as usual. lt's not you. They claim he threw her out the window last Friday. You'd think he'd still be in mourning. The police are looking all over for him, he has the nerve... to walk into a Superior Court and watch a trial? Thanks. Chutzpah. - Yeah? - There's a gentleman here who says you're expecting him. - A Mr Greenhill? - So he wasn't just watching the trial. - He was watching you. - Tell him l'm in a meeting. l can't see him. Didn't anyone ever say no to you before? Yes. My wife said no, just before l threw her out the window. You find it amusing being charged with murder? Of course not. lt did get your attention though, didn't it? ls that why you showed up at the Lombardo trial? To get my attention? Absolutely. l want you to defend me. They tell me you're the best there is, that you're smart and tough. Couldn't hazard a guess. who used to take her to trials after school... - Where'd you hear that? - Uh, some old bailiff down at the courthouse. l see the little girl who, at the ripe age of 14, jumped up in the middle of a murder trial and said, ''Objection!'' And the judge took you back to his chambers... and you ended up clerking for that judge ten years later. And l really delve into anything that interests me. Uh-huh. And did this interest develop before or after... you threw your wife out the window? We need to get one thing very clear. l did not murder anybody. Come on, Counsellor. You're experienced enough... to recognize a set-up when you see one. - Who set you up? - My wife. She throws herself out the window and makes it look like you did it? You don't know how crazy some women can behave. - l'm sure you do. - Yes, l do. l've lived off of women all my life. That's all l'm good at. lt's my talent-- Getting women to do what l want them to do. Then you must have wanted her dead. l knew she was angry with me and upset. Depressed over our relationship. Now, what could a man do to get his wife that, that angry? Miss Haines, God put too damn many attractive women on this earth. Rita knew that about me before we were married, and l never promised to change. You don't portray yourself as a very sympathetic figure. There's a hell of a big difference between... being a compulsive womanizer and a murderer. - Was your wife rich? - Very. So you stand to inherit a great deal of money? Yes. And l've earned every penny. Look at what she's putting me through now. She could have just divorced you. Not good enough. Miss Haines, my wife was a very sick woman. Two years ago she had to be institutionalized for seven months. Clinical depression. And she swore that she'd get back at me even if it meant from the grave. And now, thanks to her letter writing skills, l might just spend the rest of my life behind bars. - There was a letter? - Yes. lt arrived at the State's Attorney's Office the day after her death. They wouldn't let me see it, but they made it pretty clear... Where did you go? Do l have to answer that? l promise, nothing you say could lower my opinion of you. All right. l met a very nice lady at the bar at the Drake. She had some clean shirts at her place; so many of them do. And they always seem to fit. Terrible picture, don't you think? Do you know that there are some women that are... always attracted to men the same size? l'm counting on you to arrange that. l have someone at the State's Attorney's Office you can surrender to... without a lot of media coverage. - And so you'll handle my defence? - Oh, thank you, but no. Why not? Because you don't like me? - Or because you do? - You're not my type. l wouldn't be too sure about that. Come on. Why won't you handle my defence? l'm innocent. How would l know that? Because, Miss Haines, you can tell about clients... like l can tell about women, like that. You know, it's funny. l actually believe you. Liars are seldom as blunt or ridiculous. Well, then, come on. For every five Lombardos you represent... you should take on at least one innocent man. -Mmm, my calendar's full. -l can't believe you're turning me down. l'm sure it's a novel experience, but you'll get used to it. l never have. l'll tell you what. l'll arrange for Josephine Grimes to come see you. She's a capable attorney with her own firm... and two grown sons as her partners. l'm sure she'll be safe with you. Get me Stanley Helman in the State's Attorney's Office. - Well, l'm glad you're not taking that vacation. - Well-- We've decided to let you take over on this Barry Carpenter mess. uh, he's as innocent as a baby. Let's hold off on that a minute. Yesterday l spent ten minutes in my office with a slick... but very attractive womanizer who really needs an attorney. - Who? - David Greenhill. Oh, no. Not that guy who threw his wife out the window. - l don't know that he did. - What did you tell him? l turned him down, but l'm having second thoughts. - Why? - Because l've never represented anyone like Greenhill before. He is completely in love with himself, manipulative... and an outrageous flirt. Uh-huh. l mean, he is a classic target. The media is gonna have a field day with him. ''Gigolo murders society wife.'' ''Lady-killer kills lady.'' They are gonna hate him and try and destroy him. ls that why you're tempted to take him on? - Maybe. - You're really feeling your oats, aren't you, Jennifer? - You said you thought l could be one of the best. - Mmm. You carried me through law school, kept moving me up in the firm. You want an honest answer? l am feeling my oats. - Good. - l think l can get him off. Besides, he makes a very good case for his own innocence. - l believe him. - Well, l can see you're talking yourself into it. He should be able to afford the very best defence, eh? l thought you'd find something positive about it. You actually showed up. You can't-- You can't imagine how much better l feel... - just knowing that you're here. - Well, don't feel too good. The State's Attorney's Office say the lab reports show... your fingerprints all over that window. And the houseboy claims he cleaned it just the day before. l-lt was stuck. Rita deliberately... got me to open the window that morning. Can anybody corroborate that? lt was after the houseboy went out. Goddam it. Don't you think if l was gonna toss my wife out the fuckin' window, l'd have the common sense to wipe my fingerprints off of it? You don't have to convince me. - Okay. - Rodriguez! Your defence counsellor is here. Here's a copy of the letter she sent to the State's Attorney's Office. Beautiful. According to her, l may as well have taken an ad out in the Chicago Trib. Our first problem is gonna be to get you free on bail, which is always very difficult in a capital offence. Then l guess l got me an attorney. Can you post bond? Well, my wife's family has tied up all the assets, but Miriam said that she would stand for the bond and-- Oh, and she said she'd pay your fee. - Miriam? - Miriam Langford. She's a dear friend. You don't mind if l have friends, do you? Just don't marry them 'til the trial's over, okay? Ah, don't worry about that. l might even fall in love with somebody else by then. Your Honour, my client, David Greenhill, has no prior record... of any criminal activity, nor has he any history of violence. He maintains strong financial and property ties to the community. There is no reason to believe there is any danger he'll flee the jurisdiction. We respectfully request bail not be denied. Your Honour, we're dealing here with a case of cold-blooded murder for profit. An act so brutal, so premeditated, it would lead any civilized person... to believe the perpetrator would be a danger to others in the community. Therefore, it's in the interest of the people that David Greenhill be denied bail. The court sets bail in the amount of $250,000. And you will surrender your passport today. Next. - Let me get outta here. - Case number 623394. Miriam, thank you so much for everything. l can't tell you what this means to me. You're the only one that believes l'm innocent. - What about Miss Haines? - Oh, God, Miss Haines! She said she'd defend me even if l was guilty. - That's her job, isn't it? - l don't trust her. See, people like us, Miriam, we're-- We're warm people. But she's a-- She's an attorney! Don't you talk to her about us. Don't discuss anything with her. - Do you understand? - She's awfully attractive. Not to me, she's not. All she cares about is winning. She's like a goddam machine. She did get you out of jail. lt's what you wanted. No, baby. This is what l wanted. - Just to your right, ma'am. - Thank you. - Hello. Yes, l'm here to see Mr Greenhill. - Oh, yes. Good morning. Thanks for coming. Really nice of you to meet here instead of at the office. Must feel good to be home. lt does kinda. l'm trying not to think about that window. That is what you came to see, isn't it? That window? l need to know a little about your background: - your family, where you went to school. - Oh, sure. l was an army brat, in and out of one school after another. My father was an artillery captain. Sit down, please. l was an only child and my mother's whole world. She used to steal money out of my father's pockets and give it to me. l don't think it mattered too much when he went away to Vietnam and never came back. l know it's probably hard to believe given my current lifestyle, but l hardly dated when l was in high school. ln fact, l didn't really start going out until after my mother died. And then only with older women. What does that tell ya? - Have you ever had psychiatric counselling? - Once. Woman psychiatrist. You can imagine how that turned out. Well, at least she didn't charge me for the sessions. But you've never been married before? Friend of mine once said, ''Never marry a woman for her money. Get her money without marrying her.'' Hi! This is a surprise. Do we have plans tonight? l had a visitor today at the office. - Your client dropped by. - Yeah? - Which client? - David Greenhill. - What? - Yeah, just marched in like he owned the joint. - What in the world did he want? - Well, he wanted to thank me... for giving up our trip to Aspen so that you could defend him, but since l did hurt my knee there last year, maybe it was better that l didn't go. Now, uh, how the hell did he know that stuff? Sweetheart, l have no idea. l've told him absolutely nothing about my personal life. Yeah, well, somebody's been doin' some talking. You know, the whole time he was looking me up and down. - He was checking me out. - He does that with everybody. Oh, yeah? So how do you rate, Jen? What are you, a ten? Eleven? Hasn't he told you yet? Look, Phil, l don't like what he did, but you're really-- l don't like your client. Get rid of him. - ''Get rid of him''? - He's a slimy son of a bitch. He very well may be, but the question is: ls he a murderer? He's butting into our lives, so l say dump him. You have no right to ask that of me. by the way, whom l truly detested? How many times have l had to sit with them and dine with them, listen to their stupid jokes and smile sweetly 'cause you had a deal going on with them? Look, Counsellor, l'm not on the jury, so save the brilliant summation. The bottom line: There's nothing going on with me and this guy. l'm not attracted to him. He's not coming on to me. and l am uncomfortable in the situation, l will make... - the appropriate decision then. - Lawyer talk. Why do you have to use that tone of voice... There's no point talkin', Jennifer. You always have to win. David Greenhill did not start this, you did. Well, hi there. - What's so important? - You dropped in to see... -Did he say l was rude? -lt doesn't matter what he said. you better get yourself another attorney. You can tell your Miriam Langford... to start looking because l will not be there for you. Actually, l think Phil's a hell of a guy. He's crazy about you. You know, l'm not remotely interested in your opinion. Jennifer, l-l can take criticism. But please try to understand that l've... never been accused of a crime before in my whole life. l'm completely vulnerable. Right now, you-you're my entire world. l understand that. But if you ever do that again, l'm walking. - No, you won't. - Oh, just watch me. Please, Jennifer, l-- l don't even have Miriam any more. lt's finished. l broke it off myself. Christ sakes, Jennifer, Miriam wasn't a stupid woman. She could see what was happening between us. Wha-What was happen-- What did you tell her? l told her that right now, that you're the only woman... in the world that means anything to me. - David, are you crazy? - cut me off and then got on a plane... and went to Europe, went to Geneva. She has a house there. At least l think that's where she went. 'Course, she's got 50 houses all over the fuckin' world. Empty houses with servants sittin' around on their asses, waitin' for somebody to show up. She didn't give a fuck about me! She just wanted to know that l was there. David, she was also paying for your defence. - You'll get your money, don't worry about that. - From who? You're going to prove me innocent and then there will be millions. You know, no matter how bad it ever got with me and Rita, at least l knew she had real feelings for me. She framed you for her own murder. l'd say you're not doing that well... - in the female department. - Well, l just am not-- Oh, shit! What am l? Am l some kind of a fuckin' lowlife... because l take money when it's offered to me? Nobody says a goddam thing. lt's perfectly fine, isn't it? Well, you-- lf you wanna talk about... goddam women as sex objects? What about-- What about men? What about me? They use me. And then they fuckin' drop me... whenever they damn well please. l do not intend to represent you any more. l tried to speak to you rationally, but you defy all logic, so l'm backing off. l'm not doing this for him. l'm doing this because you-- You're an impossible person. l don't have to put up with it and l won't. No. No, l'm the one that has to do this. l'm the one that has to stand trial. l have to defend myself and my whole fuckin' lifestyle. - Sure, go. - Then step out of my way. Oh, and Jennifer? Ah, l mean, Miss Haines. Really like your hair that way. Oh, put the lady on. Mrs Langford. l'm sorry to be calling you on your vacation, but our accounting department informs me that you haven't remitted any payment... for Mr Greenhill's recent fees and expenses. Yeah, Tom. Hi. Jennifer, uh, l've just hung up with Mrs Langford in Geneva. She, uh, not only refuses any more financial... responsibility for David Greenhill, uh-- She maintains that the, the two of you are having an affair. Tom, l had to go to his apartment yesterday. He told me while he was waving a ten-inch kitchen knife in front of my face-- He told me that l was the only woman in the world that meant anything to him. He treats me like we're intimate. l don't know why, but he's become fixated on me. lt's-- lt's scary. He's your client. You picked him. l made a mistake. l really made a mistake. l'm sorry. Let's dump this guy. l want off this case. l want this lunatic out of my life. - How do we do it? - So now that the man can't pay, - suddenly you don't want any part of him. - That's not it, Your Honour. He totally misrepresented his ability to meet these obligations. You are associated with one of the most successful firms in this city. l don't think it's going to go under because one client can't pay his bill. You can always sue for these fees afterwards and collect in a civil court. No one's stopping you from that. Your Honour, he's already in arrears over 29,000. - lt's estimat-- - The exact dollar figure does not concern me. You took on this man's defence, filed his plea of not guilty, went through the pleadings and the discovery process, and now you want out. for this entire process to be repeated with some other attorney? Why should they foot the bill because your firm... didn't obtain an adequate retainer up front? This widespread dumping of clients is an abuse to the entire system. l intend to see it stopped. You will provide the best defence possible. And l'm gonna keep an eye on you and make sure that you do. Request denied. Mr Greenhill. ln your letter to me you said you had complete faith in Miss Haines. Do you still feel Miss Haines can give you adequate representation? Yes, l do, Your Honour. l guess l'll see you in court. l won't hold this against you. - Good morning. - Good morning. You have some things for Jennifer Haines, - uh, 12-C down the street? - lt was going to be delivered. Yeah, well, um-- She asked me to run down and pick 'em up for her. - Okay. - Uh, she said... to just put it on her account? Very light on the starch, especially in the collar. - Okay. l'll remember. - Thank you. - Good morning, Rosalie. - Miss Haines isn't in yet. Yes, l know, dear. Thank you. - You look very nice today. - Good morning, Mr Greenhill. Hello, Gretchen. Hello, Virginia. - Good morning, Mr Greenhill. - Nice to see you. - Good morning, Emily. - You don't have an appointment. l, l know. Well, listen, l, uh-- l'm just gonna drop these things off for Jennifer. She might need them later. - Should l just put 'em inside? - Oh, l'll take it. Oh, okay. Um, and tell Jennifer l'll just talk to her later. Ah, she's got a very busy schedule. Emily, um, how long have you worked for Miss Haines? Well, l'm sure that she relies on your discretion. And so do l. l behaved badly the other day. l'm sorry. Look, as soon as you're free, l want us to go off for a couple of weeks... and we won't tell anybody where we're going. There's a little detail of earning money for the firm. No, no, no. They can hardly refuse to let a girl go on her honeymoon. Will you marry me? l guess you do. l could swear that l know you. Do you work around Watertower? Women take care of me. Mm-mm. l already have one. But you can pay for it. Bartender? This one's on her. -Jennifer, l need to speak to you alone. -What the hell do you want? Jennifer, l know l've said some things that l shouldn't, but please don't treat me this way. - l-lt's not right. - Look, just ignore him. This is some very weird thing he's doing, just like leaving my clothes at my office. - What are you talkin' about? - She didn't tell you? You-You didn't tell him about the personal items you left at my apartment? - Look, maybe you should just talk to the man. - l don't want to talk to him. - l do not want him in my personal life. - All right, you heard her. You know, it's supposed to be unethical when a doctor... or a psychiatrist seduces their patients. - But what about when a lawyer does it? - That's bullshit! Maybe l know her a little better than you do, Phil. -You better get the fuck outta my sight. -Don't hit him. That's what he wants. Jennifer. This is the monster client syndrome every lawyer dreads. Why would he make all that garbage up? - He's brilliant at finding out people's weak spots. - Oh. Our relationship is your weak spot? You said that, l didn't. - Thank you. - Just drop me off at home, okay? Whatever you want. - Hello, Phil? - Oh, dear. You're all by yourself. Why are you doing this? 'Cause if you loved me, you'd do a better job defending me. This is like saying ''fuck you'' to your brain surgeon the night before the operation. For a limited time only you can receive this entire box set for only 9.99. l'm not worried. l'll see you tomorrow at 10:45. - What? - Check your calendar, honey. We have a scheduled conference tomorrow at 10:45. Or should l get word to Judge Tompkins that you're refusing to see me? - 10:45. - Nighty-night. l'll be with you in a minute. Let's go over the events of the afternoon of your wife's death. You left the apartment at 20 after 12:00. The lobby doorman saw you exit the elevator and go out. Yeah, isn't that great he remembered? You then walked to this Four Farthings Bar... on Dickens Street where you met a woman. Would you care to tell me her name and address now? Counsellor, how would that sound in court? While his beloved wife was tossing herself out the fuckin' window, our hero was down at the local bar gettin' his rocks off. Let's just say l took a long walk, shall we? There wasn't any woman, was there? - Well, there could have been. - But there wasn't. Yes, but there could have been. l've met a lot of nice ladies in that particular bar. - But not on that day? - Let me ask you something, Counsellor. But then l haven't butchered 12 or 14 people. 'Course he's a pro, so l guess that makes the difference. Uh, that doesn't bother you so much. You're not giving me very much to work with. Well, you got them to believe that Frank Hillman slept right through the murders... in his own house of his wife and both the kids. l proved, that from his bedroom, he would not have been able to hear the screams in the basement. Yes, l know. l was there that day. Oh, yes. Quite a few times. ln fact, sometimes it was hard to get in. ls that when you started thinking about killing your wife? Now that you mention it. Wait a minute. Now, was that a proper question for you to ask? By law, l'm forbidden to repeat anything you tell me in confidence. But l'm certain you knew that. Could you explain that to me? l'm not quite sure how that works. Oh, l think you are. Privileged communication between attorney and client. Mm-hmm. So, you couldn't be forced to tell, - but you could leak something. - Only at the risk of being disbarred. l would lose my licence to practice... and the facts wouldn't be admissible in court. Now, does that pertain to just the current crime... that l am charged with or would that include... Other murders? lt's getting very interesting. The law is very clear on this. Only the details of any future crime that was being planned... l would have to reveal. Anything that had already happened... comes under the protection of privilege. You know what the problem is with committing perfect murders? - What? - You can't tell anybody about them. Were they all women, David? Now don't get optimistic. l hardly qualify as a serial killer. l never got any pleasure out of the actual act. lt was more the, the planning and the covering up... that was the most rewarding. You spent the money very quickly and you needed more. lt's never difficult to find. Did you know that there's a certain breed of women... that always seem to seek out men like me? They think that their money puts them in control. And for a while, l go along with it. But you'd never been arrested before? Questioned once or twice, but never detained. Back in New York? l never said l lived in New York. But somewhere on, on the East coast. Emily. Just in the nick of time. l was about to spill my guts all over this table. Would you like me to send out for some sandwiches? Uh-- Uh, no. No, thank you. Uh, uh, l think we're about finished. So, w-we'll meet again on, on Friday. - At 10:00. - Yes, Friday at 10:00. l'll bet you can hardly wait. A-And David, don't call me at home. Oh, you won't hear from me until Friday. Emily. You've lost a couple of pounds. Keep up the good work. - Hello. - Moe, l need to see you right away. He's toying with you. lf he can prove it, that's, that's something else. l just had a feeling it had to be New York or Boston... or Philadelphia; some major city on the East coast... where wealthy women congregate. He said he'd been picked up and questioned. Well, that's a definite plus. He might have been operating under a different name. Maybe not. This boy loves to take chances. l need you to help me, Moe. Whatever. l need you find out every single thing you can about him. You can't turn him in unless you wanna kiss your career goodbye. Why is-- Why is he inventing things about me? Why is he loading me up with information that could potentially harm him? Moe, he had this whole thing worked out in advance. He chose me to defend him before he killed his wife. What if he-- What if he decides it's too risky for me to be alive? Thank you! Thank you, thank you so much! Trevor-Norton, eh? We can work that one out. No, l can't. l'll be in, uh, court next week. Yeah, Trevor-Norton. Custom-made shoes in London. But they went out of business two years ago. - Do you think you can trace him back through them? - Well, l got other leads. Has his shirts made in Hong Kong. Here, let me do that. - l'll take you to the airport, okay? - Ah, good. Yeah. And the deceased, Mrs Greenhill, visited you at the 101st Detective Division... exactly one week before her death. ls that right? - She did. - Will you tell us the substance of that meeting? She told me she was desperately afraid her husband intended to kill her. Did you speak to Mrs Greenhill subsequent to that first meeting? Yeah, l, uh, telephoned her five days later to make sure she was all right. She said she was living in a constant state of terror, locking her bedroom door at night. So l urged her to move into a hotel, contact her lawyer. Uh, there was no action that the police could have taken under the circumstances. Unfortunately, no crime had been committed. Your witness. Lieutenant Martinez, do you feel guilty now about not having taken action? Why should l? l went by the book. l don't see how l could have prevented it. You didn't believe her, did you? l thought she was maybe making trouble for her husband. l don't know. Well, Mr Greenhill sent me to this, uh, uniform store on Grant Street... to, uh, to get outfitted. He, uh, he said he was tired of seeing me in the same uniforms every day. Did he tell you what time to be back? No, actually he said there was no need to hurry. And in less than one hour after you left Mrs Greenhill alone with her husband, she plunged to her death from the 18th floor window. - Objection. Leading. - Withdrawn. No more questions. Mr Loo, you were with the deceased for over a year before she married David Greenhill. - ls that right? - Right. And during that time, who gave you your orders and instructions around the house? Mrs Greenhill did, of course. So it may very well have been Rita Greenhill's idea... that you leave early that day for the fitting. Well, it could have been. Now, you saw the defendant get off the elevator and cross the lobby. - ls that right? - Yes. Did he give you any special instructions? He said his wife was sleeping late and under no circumstances should she be disturbed. Did you actually see Mr Greenhill exit into the street? You know, l'm not sure. But you are certain he couldn't have reentered the elevator and gone back up. Suppose he slipped around to the far corner of the lobby and took the service elevator up. - Would you have seen that? - Well, l wouldn't have seen that. Your witness. Well, he had an overcoat on. lt-- lt was chilly outside. l think he had on gloves. - Excuse me? - He had on gloves. He always dressed real smart, Mr Greenhill. Just like today. Real G.Q. - We've seen the suit, Mr Greenhill. Sit down. - Uh, sorry. Mr Nolan, are you certain he had on gloves? his fingerprints all over would put on gloves afterwards? - Hardly a question, Your Honour. - Out of line, Miss Haines, and you know it. The jury will disregard Miss Haines' comments. - What was going on in the lobby that day? - Same as every day. - Only in the lobby? - No. - Could you be more specific? - Well, at that particular time, they were sandblasting from 11 through 9. On eight, they were knocking out walls, combining apartments. - How were they getting there? - Service elevator, service stairs. - l don't see how. - And to your knowledge, did the police question each and every one of those painters and plasterers and plumbers... to find out whether or not they had seen David Greenhill? -Objection. -Withdrawn. l have no further questions. We will adjourn until 9:30 tomorrow morning. Well, l think that made a few points with the jury. You seem surprised l'm doing a decent job. Hello, Esther. Say hello to Jennifer Haines. Jennifer, this is my friend, Esther. Well, you're every bit as attraactive as David said you were I'm sure he's never stopped talking about me. - Surprise. - I hope this brings us up-to-date. [ Skipped item nr. 690 ] You could have paid your bills from the start I would have paid up on the spot. Would you care to join us for dinner ? [ Skipped item nr. 694 ] No, uh, thank you. l have to prepare for tomorrow. See, l just sit here and look pretty and she does all the work. He's very lucky to have you on his side. Moe, l can hardly hear you. l'm at the Baltimore Airport just boarding a plane to Boston. Thanks to our friendly London shoe company, l picked up quite a trail on Greenhill. He lived here in Maryland for eight months. Before that, in Boston under the name of... Edgar Greenhill. - lsn't that his middle name? - Yeah. Listen, there's a-- There's a woman here, Selma Hanks, who died here after she overdosed on sleeping pills. And another woman in Boston, who, uh, well, she's on life-support systems... after she O.D.'d on something. And they're both former lady friends of his. He fixates on a woman and then-- He won't hurt you now. He needs you. But, Moe, he's planning something. Now, look, Jen, you-- You be careful of this guy. Moe, he had to have been able to get back upstairs... to kill his wife with no one seeing him. Oh, what did l do right? Oh, l didn't feel like being alone tonight. That bastard. He's really starting to get to you. How can l help you? You can't. Thank you. Oh, good morning. l want you to know how l loved being in court. You did very well. Excuse me. - Morning, Emily. - Hi, Jennifer. Good morning, Counsellor. Did we oversleep this morning a little? And State's Attorney Heath, is this the original... of the document you received in the mail? -lt is. -May we mark this Prosecution Exhibit C? And would you read the contents into the record, please? ''lt's after 12:00 now. ''He's arranged to be alone with me in the apartment. ''l am not strong enough to run away. ''l have given up all hope or reason to fight back. But if David succeeds, l pray he will not go unpunished.'' And it's signed, ''Rita Elizabeth Greenhill.'' What did you do after that, sir? - We sent it to the Criminal lnvestigation Division... - Something bothering you today? -of the State Attorney's Office. -Sure. The expression... - on the jury. - And they, in turn, sent it to be authenticated. -And it was therefore verified-- -Don't worry about it. Diangelo just shot his load. That letter's all he's got. One painter's cap. One dust mask filter. And one pair of work gloves. - That is 54.19. - Okay. - ls that cash or charge? - Cash, please. Okay. Good morning, Mr Loo. l thought Mr Greenhill and l... could, uh, ride downtown together. Oh, Mr Greenhill wasn't here last night. But he asked me to put out his clothes... because he might want to change before going to court. - Uh, do you mind if l wait? - Oh, no, please, feel free. Care for coffee? l have some made. - Uh, uh, l prefer tea. - Of course. Thank you. What are you doing? Quite a responsibility taking care of all this. Oh, yes, indeed. Well, Mr Greenhill is not so, uh, demanding to work for... now that Mrs Greenhill is gone. She, uh, she never gave a person a minute's peace. - Tea, right? - Um, actually, no, l'm late. Would you tell Mr Greenhill l'll meet him at court? Thank you. Well, this is a surprise. Great, we'll split a cab. - Don't you need to change? - Don't l look all right? Excuse me. The way you were looking at me, l thought there was somethin' wrong. A little 5:00 shadow, perhaps, but... nothing that would turn the jury against me, do you think? You know, for the life of me, l can't figure out who sent that damn thing. - What? - The letter, Jennifer. l mean, they say it was sent on the same day that Rita died. But Rita never left the apartment that day. And the mail chute upstairs has been out of use since the renovations began. Well, you certainly wouldn't mail any letter to the State's Attorney's Office yourself. Of course not. Suppose the greedy nephew, uh, sent it or one of the cousins. They certainly know what her signature looks like. They've seen it on enough cheques. Could l see a photostat of the envelope? Sure. Somebody ought to be able to figure out... which branch of the post office this was processed at. You will follow up on that. Of course. According to the postmark, this letter was picked up somewhere... Since there was an earlier pickup at 2:00, the letter had to have been mailed... - Objection. Argumentative. - Rephrase, Miss Haines, rephrase. By making an even greater enlargement l was able to make a closer examination. The-- The loops and the angle of the letters... now convince me it is clearly a fake. l apologize to the court. Will counsel approach the bench? What do you have to say about this, Mr Diangelo? Well, we've had our own people examine the signature again, and they now tend to agree. We'll stipulate it's not her handwriting. Winning. l'm talking about... nailing that fucking Greenhill to the wall and his lawyer along with him. Well, after that fiasco with the forged letter, l would like that. l got a phone call from one of his girlfriends yesterday. - She might have been in on it with him. - She tipped us where to look: behind the radiator in the basement of Greenhill's own building. We got the search warrant. Pay dirt. All the reports are back from the lab. And there's no question. David Greenhill was wearing this stuff. You're already under oath, Lieutenant. - Why are they recalling him? - l have no idea. Detective Martinez, would you go to the exhibits table, please, Some coveralls that used to be white at one time. A pair of work gloves. A cap similar to that used by a painter or plasterer. A gauze face mask used to filter out dust and debris. May we admit these as Prosecution Exhibits D, E, F and G? And upon obtaining a warrant, Lieutenant, did you search Mr Greenhill's apartment, and did you find something of interest? Yes. A pair of Trevor-Norton shoes... with the residue of plaster and paint on the soles of the shoes. Mark those Prosecution Exhibit H. Where were the shoes found? - Did you make an analysis of the plaster? - We did. - And what did you find? - Are those your shoes? lt was similar in every way to the plaster and other construction materials being... - No. - No more questions. Let him get it all out. We tested the inside of the cap for traces of human hair. Did you compare your findings to samples of David Greenhill's hair? Objection. Prosecution made no request for specimens of David Greenhill's hair! With all due respect, Your Honour. We didn't need to. The investigating officer found a comb and a brush belonging to the defendant... and we took the specimen hairs from that. The specimens seemed to have been acquired under a legal warrant. l suggest we continue. Did you do similar tests on the gauze mask? We found minuscule particles of human blood... such as might be left if the wearer had recently shaved. The University of Chicago prepared these charts. Entered as Exhibits l and J for the Prosecution. Will you explain the chart, please? The skin sample matches exactly the defendant's DNA patterns. - Did you put the gloves through your spectrograph? - Examination of the lining... of the gloves showed traces of an over-the-counter cleaning product called Windex Spray. ldentical to the solvent present on the window... through which Mrs Greenhill was thrown to her death. - Objection, Your Honour! - Sustained. We'll take lunch now. - Go have lunch. - We have to talk. You heard me. l brought you a sandwich. Oh, how thoughtful. Based on what's happened, do you care to change your plea? l'll sleep on it. - What is it? - Hello, David. Do you know who this is? Yes. How are things in Boston? There's been someone around asking questions about you the last few days. Of course, l didn't tell him anything. An older man? Seventy? Wears a hat? Looks like you're going to lose this one. Thank God. Let's celebrate. Call me when you get in. l'll be home. l love you, Jennifer. - Jen. - l'm right here, sweetheart. - l'm right here. - l couldn't see-- l couldn't see who. This is David's way of saying he knows. Ooh! l'm sorry. - Who were you expecting? - You know who. How is he? ls he gonna be all right? Yeah. Can you leave now? There's somethin' at the office. l gotta show it to ya. lt's important. Ya see, it's a clear pattern but not conclusive proof. Nothing to make a prima facie case. Well, they sure know where to look. Well, you divulge any of those facts and he goes on trial for any of the other crimes, they'll throw the cases right out for violation of confidentiality. l can't turn him in either, because, well, l'm employed by you. - Jury's gotta convict now. - Well, ya never know. But as long as that bastard's out on bail, you-- You watch your step. l've made my decision. We'll stick with the not guilty plea. That's your call. Yeah, l didn't want to do this, but... now l have no choice. Mrs Bigelow, say hello to my attorney, Jennifer Haines. - How do you do? - Say hello to Mrs Bigelow. How is Mrs Bigelow gonna help us? Well, her husband isn't going to like this, but, uh, well, Kathleen, why don't you tell Miss Haines... where l was on the afternoon of my wife's death? At my place, just around the corner from his own apartment. A five-minute walk. Naturally l didn't say anything about it before... because Kathleen's marriage was at stake. And l didn't think there was much of a case against me. David was still there when we heard the police and the ambulance sirens. He couldn't possibly have had anything to do with it. And, tell Miss Haines what we were doing the week before. Yes. Um, my eldest daughter is moving back in with me, so l've been doing some redecorating. Slapping on some paint, putting up some wallpaper, and, uh, l got David to pitch in and help. Shamed him into it, actually, just so he couldn't turn me down-- You got him the proper clothing to wear? You got him a cap and gloves? The painters had left some things behind when... they did the upper floor of the duplex last year. Mrs Bigelow, you realize l am obligated... not to present perjured testimony to the court? Excuse me, Jennifer, how can you be so sure that Kathleen's not telling the truth? You must know the State's Attorney's Office will attempt to impeach this testimony. Lady, my husband is a lineman with the Chicago Bears. Do you honestly think l'd jeopardize myself for a lie? This is a very difficult thing for me to do, but David's life is in danger. All right, l'll put her on the stand. Anything else you've been holding back? Don't let her attitude bother ya. She's just a little bit jealous. You see, she wanted to be the one to save me. And now you've stolen all of her thunder. You don't have any idea how those work clothes found their way into the basement... of David Greenhill's apartment building, stuffed behind a radiator out of sight? To the best of my recollection, l put them in the trash room, along with a lot of other junk when we finished redecorating. And, of course, some of the service people... work in more than one building in the neighbourhood. Move that the answer be stricken as sheer speculation. You asked for, quote, unquote, ''any idea,'' Counsellor. The answer will stand. for many months while carrying on an affair with the defendant. l wouldn't lie under oath, and l certainly wouldn't protect a murderer. On the one hand, we have overwhelming... physical and forensic evidence that tells us exactly... how cleverly it was planned: the change of clothes, the split-second timing, the cold-blooded brutality. On the other hand, we have the word of a solitary witness, a sexual partner obsessed with the defendant, l ask you not to allow this man to escape justice. even when she pleaded for help. Let's not fail her again this time. Ask yourselves who-- Who would have benefited most from the conviction of David Greenhill? Did we not show numerous relatives... who stood to gain financially were he found guilty? Did we not prove conclusively that Rita Greenhill never wrote... the supposedly incriminating letter? Eyewitnesses saw-- leave the building long before his wife plunged to her death. Another witness has testified to his whereabouts... at the very time of his wife's suicide. You've done better. Who knew the jury would be out for a week? lf they acquit, he's gonna go out and kill somebody else, some other woman. Well, let's see what they have to say. Come on. Aren't you going to hold my hand? Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, have you reached a verdict? l'm sorry, Your Honour, l have to report that we're hopelessly deadlocked. You don't see any possibility of reaching a verdict? We've been in there six days and we're not even close. l think it's hopeless, Your Honour. l could send you back for further deliberation. The way we're divided, it wouldn't make much difference, Your Honour. Do the other members of the jury agree? Prosecution will move to retry with all dispatch and ask the court to set a new trial date. l'll take that under advisement. l will hear motions tomorrow morning. Thank you so much. Thank you. l appreciate it. l really am grateful. Thank you. Thank you-- Can't win 'em all. Thank you very much. - Hey, honey. - Thank you. Well, if there's a next time, l guess l can't depend on you. l'm sure you'll find somebody wonderful. l'll, uh, be outside. You know, l feel cheated. l never got a chance to take the stand. l swear to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth... so help me God. Well, aren't you a little curious? You seem anxious to tell me all about it. When did you first decide to murder your wife? l hadn't really made up my mind... cinched it for me. What did you see? You. You were celebrating a victory. Of course, l'd seen your picture in the newspaper. But when l saw you in person, up close, l realized that this was something that we had to do together. l'd kill her, and you'd defend me. So l started to learn everything l could about you. l even arranged a, a visit to Taos, New Mexico, the same week you took your vacation. l booked myself into the Summit Lodge, and l took the adjoining room on the third floor, right next to yours. Why are you telling me this now? Jenny. Everybody knows we're lovers. They just don't know how long it's been going on... or how long we'd been planning the murder together. l even sent you a gift. l charged it on my credit card and had it delivered to your room. l'm sure the shopkeeper has a record. - The turquoise bracelet? - Mm-hmm. - lt was you. - Did you like it? Can you imagine how that would look... should you ever decide to violate your vow of silence... about this murder or any other murders? You sent that letter. We just played out our parts. l could make you handle my defence if l wanted to. But frankly, l'm beginning to tire of you. You're not nearly as tough or as smart as l thought you were. Witness may step down. Or l could sue your firm for malpractice... and collect a goddam fortune... over that stupid, phoney evidence you planted. Lawyer tries to frame her own client, film at 11:00. Honey, you would be finished forever. Why don't you just do it? Because we've been close, haven't we, Jennifer? Closer than most people who fuck. Why? Why did you take the gloves off... before you killed her? Killing with gloves on would be like fucking with a rubber. Bye, Jennifer. Good luck. What'd he do? You haven't said a word since we left the courtroom. What did that bastard say to you? Moe, l've-- l've looked into the face of somebody so evil. l've heard words so vile. Moe, l've gotta destroy him. -What are you talkin' about? -All that evidence you gathered: Selma Hanks, the woman on life support, where is it? Right here. - Have you got a copier? - No. Hold onto that file. l'm going down to the State's Attorney's Office tomorrow. l'm gonna tell them everything l know about David Greenhill. lt would never be admissible. All they'd need is corroborating evidence of their own. Are you nuts? lf something like that ever got out, it could mean disbarment, the end of your career. l don't care if it means l'm indicted. He made me an accomplice, Moe. And l'm not gonna let him keep walking the streets looking for another vulnerable, helpless woman to kill. And he will, Moe, he will. Now, look, Jennifer, l've known you all your life. You'd be giving up everything you ever cared for. lt's worth it. lt's worth it, Moe. All right now, please. Huh? Just think about it. l've been thinking about it ever since we left the courtroom. He is going down, Moe. He is going down. Are you going to be all right tonight? l'm picking Phil up at his office at 10:00. l'll pull myself together by then. ls he back to work already? The doctors felt his job would be the best therapy. No, you're the best therapy. Why don't you marry the poor bastard? Thanks, Moe. Well, what can l do for you? Well, l thought l might be able to... help you out with that little biography you've been writin' about me. You know, maybe help fill in some of the gaps. Why would l be interested in you? 'Cause l'm a remarkable fellow, Moe. You've never met anyone quite like me before. God, places like these are bad for my allergies. Well, l don't like to throw things away. Yeah, well, Moe, sometimes you got to get rid of the old to make way for the new. You know what l mean? l mean, let's face it. Old people, they just kind of clutter up the world. You know what l mean? They walk too slow and they talk too slow... and they drive too slow and they're always in the fuckin' way. Tryin' to remind you about how things used to be. Pain in the ass, really. lf you're looking for your file, l... had it copied and put in the safe-deposit box. No. Not you, Moe. No computer, no fax, no Xerox. You wouldn't have that shit in your office. Nope. lt's in here somewhere. Well, feel free to look around. Well, if you're not gonna help me look for it, Goddam firetrap anyway. See, the way l see it, you were workin' late one night, and you fell asleep with one of them cigars in your hand. Stray ash... fell off and caught those newspapers on fire. You were overcome by smoke. lt's better than wasting away in a hospital day after day, don't you think, Moe? - l mean, really. - What? Damn crazy son of a bitch! What the fuck are you doin'? Your car is waiting for you, Miss Haines. - Good evening, Miss Haines. - Hi, Eugene. l guess it was more of a marriage than either one of us thought, huh? 'Til death do us part and all that shit. You won't do anything to me. Moe has got a stack of evidence on you from Boston to Atlanta. lf l should have an accident-- You know, it's a good night for accidents. Moe already had one. Oh, well, that changes everything. God, you've had... just a terrible month, haven't you, Jennifer? First, your boyfriend gets beaten up and put in the hospital, then a hung jury, and now your best friend goes and dies on ya. Very depressing. Suicidally so. No one's gonna believe you. l don't know. So far, everyone's believed everything l wanted them to. And there won't be a mark on ya. Just a leap from a high place. How about a mark on you? Exhibit A! Your skin under my nails! Exhibit B! Your hair in my hands! Exhibit C! Teeth marks! Oh, God! - Watch those doors. - Watch the doors, Phil. l wanna see Security in my office right away. - You're gonna be fine, darlin'. - Phil? You're gonna be just fine. Relax, ma'am. Try not to move. Nice and easy. Don't-- Don't bump her. l beat him, Phil. l beat him. Tough way to win a case. |
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