Physical Evidence Page #5

that Joe Paris is guilty

of the cold-blooded

murder of Jacob farley.

Thank you.

Does the defense

wish to make

an opening statement?

We do, your honor, but we reserve

opening until the government

has concluded its case.

The state calls

Matthew farley.

Matthew farley.

Matt, will you please

tell the court your experience

the night

of September the 23rd.

The 23rd was a Wednesday.

Every Wednesday we went

to this little fish place

for dinner.

My sister, Amy,

and I both went.

And on the night

of the 23rd?

My father called

from the club

and said he couldn't make it.

He tell you why?

He said he was

going to meet Joe Paris.

He said Paris

had been bugging him again.

That it was time he dealt with

the bastard once and for all.

Objection! Hearsay!

Move to strike.

Sustained.

The witness's last comment

will be stricken from the record.

Did you recognize

the name of Joe Paris?

Yeah.

6 months ago,

Paris came into the club

and got into a shouting fight

with my father.

This Joe Paris

that fought that night

with your father in the club,

can you identify him

here in the courtroom?

Him.

Let the record show the witness

pointed to the defendant.

We had

a good band that night,

but everybody

was listening to the yelling

at the entrance.

Do you recall

what was yelled?

Yeah.

He kept sayin' that my father

wouldn't be around much longer.

How did you feel

when you then heard

that your father

was going to meet Joe Paris

on September the 23rd?

I was afraid for him.

Thank you.

No further questions.

Mr. farley, do you know for a fact

that your father

actually met Mr. Paris

on the night of the 23rd?

-It's where he said he was going.

You do not know

that he actually met

Mr. Paris?

-No.

Mr. farley, what business

was your father in?

He had a club.

Is this the same club

that you yourself

have now taken over?

-Yeah.

You did not close it down

at all for the funeral?

Objection!

-Sustained. Counselor.

Since you have taken

it over so easily,

you must know a lot about

your father's business.

Did he ever do business

with anyone else

named Joe Paris?

-No.

Do you know a Joe parish?

With an "h"?

Yeah.

Were you aware

that Mr. parish

owed your father

a lot of money?

Objection! Not covered by direct.

Over-ruled. You many

answer the question.

Yeah, well, parish

didn't come down to the club.

But that prick did.

Mr. farley,

this is a court of law.

Choose your

language accordingly.

Shall I repeat the question,

Mr. farley?

Look, lady,

this is all lawyer bullshit.

Answer the question.

Because I have

a tape of Joe Paris,

that Joe Paris, saying

he's going to kill my father.

Objection!

That's hearsay!

Mr. farley, you will limit

your answers

to the questions asked.

He didn't come home

that night. I went down to the club,

there were some tapes.

One had Paris' name on it.

Your honor, I object! I object!

-P-a-r-l-s.

Order!

The witness's answer

will be stricken

from the record.

And the jury is instructed

to disregard his statements.

Counsel may sidebar.

Your honor,

the district attorney

said nothing about

a tape during discovery.

We had no knowledge

of any tape.

I now want a warrant for

possible admission into evidence.

Your honor, I ask

the tape not be admitted

into evidence, since it was not

discovered prior to trial.

Denied.

Where is the tape now,

Mr. farley?

At the club.

Your honor,

unless the state proves

that this tape is authentic,

I must ask for a mistrial.

It is technically possible

to re-edit a recording

so that the intent

of that person

is completely taken

out of context,

or even contradicted.

That's true, counselor.

We'll recess to allow

prosecution to secure the tape

and test its authenticity.

All rise. Hear ye.

Hear ye. Hear ye.

All persons who have

anything further to do...

So, tell me

about the tapes.

Farley used to tape everything.

-How?

The same way

Nixon did.

How do you think

Jake got that club?

So the tapes

are real?

She made a mistake,

farley, but you screw around with her,

I'll take

those goddamn tapes

and I'll stick 'em

up your ass. You got that?

Can't we discuss

this rationally, Joe?

No. How's this for rational?

Give the lady back her money,

give me the tapes,

and get off her back.

Otherwise you know what I'll do.

What is Matt farley doing with

something like that, anyway?

Trying to find

his father's murderer.

We don't even know

when it was recorded.

3-7-84.

That's pretty stale. I mean,

it's more prejudicial than probative.

It demonstrates

the defendant's motive.

Miss Hudson, I'm inclined to

admit this tape.

However, I will give you

the opportunity

to have it examined for

authenticity by your own expert

prior to my

final ruling.

Now if you two

will excuse me.

That was pretty dirty.

I told you, I didn't know

anything about it.

This is the big time,

little girl.

You wanted high stakes,

you got 'em.

Public counsel.

Hudson, James nicks here.

I'm afraid

your client's been

hiding things from you.

You wanna meet me

at the bay tower room?

I was just

on my way home, James.

This is documentary evidence.

It blows your case wide open.

You can learn about it

in court tomorrow.

That's fine with me.

-I'll be there.

Sit down.

No, thank you.

Have you seen

your client's war record?

He's a killer. Special forces,

Phoenix program.

He killed a lot of people

in Vietnam.

He strangled them.

The same way

he allegedly

strangled farley.

He was

trained for it.

You'll never get this into evidence.

It's 18 years old.

Are you ready to talk

a plea-bargain now?

Say, 2nd-degree?

Maybe it wasn't

premeditated.

I mean, strangling evidently

is second nature to this man.

It's circumstantial and it doesn't

prove a thing.

You know what your problem is?

You're too hungry.

You wanna make

a name for yourself.

And you think Joe Paris

is your ticket.

I don't have to listen to this.

-There comes a point

when you gotta think

about your client first.

You can't win this. Murder 2

is the best you're gonna do.

He'll be out in 3 years, unless he

kills somebody else in the meantime.

You'd better

take him this offer.

Good night, James.

I'm going to nail

your man, Hudson.

Yeah, Paris.

Yeah. Guess what?

I just saw

your war record.

What do you mean?

Jesus Christ, Joe!

I don't understand.

I was in the war.

W-what's the problem?

You are lying,

that's what!

You wanted

to see me?

Yeah.

What are you doing?

Nicks told me he offered

a deal on the Paris case,

and you turned him down.

Is that true?

I know what I'm doing.

Hudson, the man is

as guilty as hell.

Now, who the f***

do you think you are,

f. Lee Bailey?

You've got a man's life

in your hands.

Are you willing

to take responsibility

for a guilty verdict?

Are you that sure of how well

you'll do in a trial?

You better be

damn sure, Hudson.

You know, one of the reasons

I use old pros

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