Angel Face Page #6

But wouldn't the district attorney block it?

He wouldn't dare

stand in the path of true love

with an election coming up in November.

Think it over, Mr. Jessup.

Let me know his decision

as soon as possible.

I now pronounce you man and wife.

Congratulations. You're married now.

You may kiss the bride.

- May I take just one?

- No pictures, please.

Never let it be said this wedding was

arranged with any thought of publicity.

- Congratulations.

- All the happiness in the world.

Sorry we can't stay to the party.

We thought you'd like a cake

so the girls chipped in.

There ain't much we can say

but, kids, we sure hope you beat the rap.

Have you reached any decision

about the plea?

Not guilty.

Isn't that too much of a gamble?

Well, what happens if we plead insanity?

They turn her over

to the DA's psychiatrists.

You know what that means.

Questions, answers.

No, we wouldn't want that.

And what if they did find she was off?

That wouldn't help the man, would it?

Insanity's not contagious,

at least we can't prove it.

Besides, it would tie up the estate.

Will you please continue, Mr. Miller?

So that rod,

connected to the gearshift lever

on the steering post,

comes down here

and is coupled to the bell crank here

by a cotter pin.

Will you demonstrate just how

that operates, Mr. Miller?

Yes, sir. If someone will be good enough

to shift in reverse for me.

- Well, I'll try.

- Thank you.

Just a moment.

All right, now.

You see the bell crank moves forward,

in drive, back.

But if I were to remove this cotter pin

and uncouple this shifting rod,

a very simple operation, as you can see,

then no matter what you do

with the shift lever,

the bell crank remains as it was,

in drive, neutral or reverse,

wherever it may happen to be.

Thank you. You made it quite clear.

Now, Mr. Miller, will you point out

the throttle retractor spring

- and explain its purpose?

- Yes, sir.

Now, this is the throttle retractor spring.

Its function is to control

the amount of gasoline released

when you've stepped on the accelerator.

- Was this spring found in the wrecked car?

- No, sir.

This part, ladies and gentlemen of the jury,

was missing

from the wrecked Tremayne car.

Now, will you explain what happens

if this spring is removed?

Well, a person stepping down

on the accelerator opens it wide,

like putting the gas pedal

right to the floor.

In other words,

giving the motor full throttle?

- Yes, sir.

- Thank you.

Now, this motor

was removed from the wrecked

Tremayne car under your supervision?

Yes, sir.

And what did you find

in connection with the gearshift rod?

That there was no connection.

It had been disconnected

and the cotter pin had been removed.

May the answer be stricken.

The witness cannot know that the pin

or any other part was removed

or that anything had been disconnected.

Motion granted.

- But the cotter pin was missing?

- That is correct.

And so was the throttle retractor spring.

It was off, too.

And in what position was the bell crank?

In neutral, in drive or reverse?

It was in reverse.

And will you tell the jury in what position

was the shift lever on the steering wheel?

It was pointed at drive.

Now, Mr. Miller, would you say

that in your opinion

the Tremayne car

had been tampered with?

Objection.

As a qualified expert, the witness

is permitted to express his opinion

as to the result of his investigation.

Exception.

Well, Mr. Miller?

Yes, sir. I would say

that it had been tampered with.

You may cross-examine, Mr. Barrett.

Mr. Miller, it has been testified

that the Tremayne automobile

fell a total distance of 150 feet,

hitting and bouncing off rocks

in its descent.

And now you say that, strangely enough,

certain parts of this motor

are missing or damaged.

As I look at this heap of metal before me,

I can't help but wonder

that any part of it escaped undamaged.

And as for missing parts,

- do you see a carburetor, for instance?

- No, sir.

It was either unrecognizable

or couldn't be found,

but there wasn't as much damage

done to the shift mechanism.

Couldn't the throttle spring have been

dislodged by the impact of the crash?

The very fact that it was a spring

with play in it,

would make me be inclined to think...

Forgetting your inclinations

for the moment, Mr. Miller.

- Isn't it a possibility?

- Well, yes, I'd have to say that.

You testified

the lever on the steering wheel

was found pointing to drive

while the car was actually in reverse.

Now I ask whether, in your opinion,

this lever could not have been jarred

from one position to the other

- during the course of the drop?

- It might, but...

And this missing connection,

couldn't that have broken off

when the car struck on the rocks?

No, sir. Not in my opinion.

If it had, you'd expect to see

a part of the sheared-off cotter pin

in one of the holes,

or scratches or marks or some bending

to show where it had pulled out.

There wasn't a sign.

Excuse me, but could I ask

the witness a question?

By all means.

Is it improper to ask if maybe this

cotter pin mightn't have been defective?

I only ask because I had one bust off

when I was fixing

my kid's express wagon last week.

That's a very good question, sir.

Mr. Miller, will you answer the juror?

He asks, "Might not the cotter pin

have been defective?"

- Maybe one in a million might be but...

- Mr. Miller,

would you be willing to stake your life

on there being only one

defective cotter pin in a million?

Think carefully now.

Remember, our juror came across

one just last week.

- Well, maybe not a million but...

- Maybe one in a thousand?

Maybe one in a hundred?

Your Honor,

the question is argumentative.

I object to counsel badgering the

witness over this relatively minor point.

No point is minor

when the lives of two innocent people...

Now, gentlemen, let's have no bickering.

Defense counsel is quite within

his rights, Mr. Judson.

- Overruled.

- Thank you, Your Honor.

- Could I ask another question now?

- You certainly may.

Well, what I'd like to know from Mr. Miller

is whether rigging a car, like he says,

is a very complicated thing

or could anyone do it?

- Even a woman?

- Tell the juror, Mr. Miller.

Well, as I said before,

it's a very simple mechanical operation,

once it had been explained.

I'm sure you could do it yourself, sir,

in a matter of minutes.

Thank you. Thank you.

- Mr. Miller, you live in Detroit, do you not?

- Yes, sir.

Then will you please tell the jury

who brought you out here from Detroit

and employed you

to make this investigation?

Objection. Counsel has no right

to question the integrity of the witness.

Your Honor, since Mr. Miller is employed

by the same insurance companies

who wrote the Tremayne policies,

and stand to save in excess of $300,000

if murder rather than

a simple accident can be proved...

If Your Honor please, counsel's remarks

are out of order and prejudicial!

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