Witness for the Prosecution Page #9

Why are you saying these things?

- What an awful woman.

- She's evil. I've known it all along.

If the defence so desires,

I will adjourn for a short time

so that the prisoner

may gain control of himself.

My lord is most gracious,

but pray let the witness continue.

We are all of us caught up

in the suspense of this horror fiction.

To have to hear it in instalments

might prove unendurable.

- Proceed, Mr Myers.

- Mrs Helm,

when the prisoner said "I have killed her",

did you know to whom he referred?

It was that woman

he had been seeing so often.

When questioned by the police, you told

them that the prisoner returned at 9.25.

Yes. Because Leonard

asked me to say that.

But you've changed your story now. Why?

I cannot go on lying to save him.

I said to the police what he wanted

because I'm grateful to him.

He married me

and brought me to this country.

What he has asked me to do I have

because I was grateful.

It was not because

he was your husband and you loved him?

I never loved him.

It was gratitude, then,

that prompted you to give him an alibi

- in your statement to the police?

- That is it. Exactly.

- But now you think it was wrong to do so.

- Because it is murder.

That woman, she was a harmless old fool,

and he makes of me

an accomplice to the murder.

I cannot come into court and swear that

he was with me at the time it was done.

I cannot do it! I cannot do it!

Then this is the truth?

That Leonard Vole returned

that night at ten minutes past ten,

he had blood on the sleeves of his coat,

and that he said to you

"I have killed her"?

That is the truth.

That is the truth, before God?

That is the truth.

Thank you.

Mrs Vole, or Mrs Helm,

which do you prefer to be called?

- It does not matter.

- Does it not?

In this country we are inclined to take

a rather more serious view of marriage.

However, it would appear that when

you first met the prisoner in Hamburg

- you lied to him about your marital status.

- I wanted to get out of Germany, so...

You lied, did you not?

Just yes or no, please.

- Yes.

- Thank you.

And in arranging the marriage,

you lied to the authorities?

I, um, did not tell the truth

to the authorities.

- You lied to them?

- Yes.

And in the ceremony, when you swore

to love, honour and cherish your husband,

- that too was a lie?

- Yes.

And when the police questioned you

about this wretched man

who believed himself married and loved,

- you told them...

- I told them what he wanted me to.

You told them that he was at home

with you at 25 minutes past 9,

- and now you say that that was a lie?

- Yes, a lie!

And when you said that he had

accidentally cut his wrist, again, you lied?

- Yes!

- And today you told a new story entirely.

The question is, Frau Helm,

were you lying then, are you lying now?

Or are you not, in fact,

a chronic and habitual liar?!

(murmuring)

(coughs)

Carter, Carter!

The other pill. Under the tongue.

My lord, is my learned friend to be

allowed to bully and insult the witness?

Mr Myers, this is a capital charge

and, within the bounds of reason,

I should like the defence

to have every latitude.

My lord, may I also

remind my learned friend

that his witness, by her own admission,

has already violated so many oaths

that I am surprised the Testament

did not leap from her hand

when she was sworn here today.

I doubt if anything is to be gained

by questioning you any further.

That will be all, Frau Helm.

(muttering)

Mrs Helm, I presume you know the

meaning of the English word "perjury"?

- In German, the word is Meineid.

- Yes. Meineid.

It means to swear falsely under oath.

And are you aware, Mrs Helm,

that the penalty in this country for perjury

is a heavy term of imprisonment?

Yes, I'm aware.

Mindful of this fact, I ask you once more,

is the evidence that you have given

the truth, the whole truth

and nothing but the truth?

So help me, God.

Then that, my lord,

is the case for the prosecution.

- Want a tissue?

- Yes, thanks.

It's the first murder trial

I've ever been to. It's terrible.

Silence.

Sir Wilfrid.

Are you ready for the defence?

My lord, members of the jury,

the prosecution has very ably presented

against the prisoner, Leonard Vole,

a case with the most overwhelming

circumstantial evidence.

Among the witnesses you have heard

Chief Inspector Hearne,

who has given his testimony in a fair

and impartial manner, as he always does.

He has put before you a clever theory

of how this crime was committed.

Whether it is theory

or actual fact, however,

you will decide for yourselves.

And then you have heard

the evidence of Janet McKenzie,

a worthy and devoted housekeeper who

has suffered two most grievous losses.

One, the death of her beloved mistress

and, second, in being deprived

of an inheritance of? 80,000,

which she'd fully expected to receive.

I will not comment

further on her evidence,

but will express only

my deepest sympathy for her

in both these... mishaps.

And most damaging of all, the prosecution

has produced a surprise witness,

one Christine Helm, whom the prisoner

brought from the rubble of her homeland

to the safety of this country, giving her

his love and the protection of his name.

I objected to her testimony

because a wife cannot give evidence

harmful to her husband.

But it has been proven that her marriage

to Mr Vole was fraudulent and bigamous.

Therefore, her evidence must be admitted

and you must consider it.

For what it is worth.

Such is the prosecution's case.

Now it is the turn of the defence.

We could present, on behalf of

the prisoner, witnesses to his character,

his war record, the lack of criminal

or evil association in his past.

However, only one witness

can shed new light

on this tragic riddle.

The prisoner himself.

Members of the jury,

I call Leonard Stephen Vole.

I swear by Almighty God

that the evidence I give will be the truth,

- the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

- No.

- Is your name Leonard Stephen Vole?

- It is.

- Where do live?

- 620 Edgware Road.

Leonard Stephen Vole, did you or did

you not on the night of October 14 last,

murder Emily Jane French?

- I did not.

- Thank you, that will be all.

(muttering)

Have you, in fact, concluded your

examination of the prisoner, Sir Wilfrid?

The prisoner has endured three days

of profound mental agony and shock.

The defence feels

his faculties should be spared

for the cross-examination

by my learned friend for the prosecution.

This is not a plea for any indulgence.

I am confident that

no matter how searching this may be,

the prisoner will withstand it.

At the time you made the acquaintance

of Mrs French, were you employed?

- No, sir.

- How much money did you have?

- A few pounds.

- Did she give you any?

No.

- Did you expect to receive any?

- No, sir.

Did you know that in her new will,

you were the beneficiary of? 80,000?

No, I didn't.

Now, Mr Vole, when you went to visit

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