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- 1.893456E8
- Matlock continues to defend a mafia don , while Charlene blows her chance at a relationship with Paul when she is unable to separate the man from the legend.
Guest Stars: Joe Penny, José Ferrer, Doran Clark, Mark La Mura, William Conrad, Alan Campbell, James McEachin, Ron Karabatsos, Joan Roberts, Sheree North, and Arthur Adams as Mr. Johnson (en)
- After being fired from one job after another because of her ex-husband Jason Hardiman, Carla Evans resorts to stripping at a local club and keeping her son reading books in another room while she performs. When her ex-husband shows up and threatens to take her son away by going to court, she threatens him in front of witnesses: "I'm not going to stand still for this. I'm warning you." So when Jason Hardiman ends in the hospital after being shot, she is the prime suspect. Matlock, who represented her ex-husband in the divorce hearings five years ago, offers to defend her on the house after discovering what a liar Hardiman was. When Carla is released from jail, Jason is murdered in the hospital, and once again Carla is the suspect in a murder case after the night nurse, Ms. Jackson, identifies her from the hallway and from a security camera video. Charlene tackles that by bringing up the point that she was not wearing her glasses when she identified the defendant from the hallway. Matlock notices in another video that the woman that killed Jason Hardiman buttoned her trench coat like a man: left over right. When Helen Shelly is called to the stand, she says she was with Doug Templitt on the night Jason Hardiman was shot and when someone entered the hospital room and killed Jason Hardiman; because they spent so much time together, Matlock assumes that she accidentally grabbed Doug's trench coat. Matlock then thinks they have a case of confused identity, so he tells a joke he heard Doug tell while going undercover at the club — "One time a woman went into a barroom with a duck under her arm. The bartender walks over and says, 'Where did you get the pig?' and the woman says, 'It's a duck,' and the bartender says, 'I was talking to the pig.' " Helen says, "Duck, I was talking to the duck" in Doug's voice. It turns out that Helen Shelly and Doug Templitt are one person with two personalities. When Matlock asks Doug who killed Jason Hardiman, he says it was Helen. In Doug's words, Carla "was everything Helen wanted to be but couldn't". Jason wanted to humiliate and degrade Carla and take her son from her. Doug would not let Helen kill Carla because he loved Carla.
Guest stars: David Froman as Lt. Bob Brooks, Robin Thomas Grossman as Prosecutor Burton Hawkins, Kerrie Keane as Carla Evans, Anne Hanes as Nurse Jackson, John Carter as Jason Hardiman, Gary Frank as Doug Templitt\Helen Shelly, Jennifer Rhoades as Gracie Fielder, Wayne Heffles as Wayne Cornell, Michael Faustino as Jimmy Hardiman, Richard Newton as Judge Richard Cooksey (en)
- An evil head physician, Dr. David Westlake causes a lot of trouble with his medical students and verbally abuses them. One of the students plans to kill him. When Dr. Westlake's body is found by student Dr. Bruce Jacobs , he abruptly flees the scene of the crime, but is spotted by the security guard and all the suspicion falls on him. Matlock, who has a pain in his hip, decides to take the case on a busy yet explanatory handsome physician.
Note: Daniel Roebuck guest stars as Dr. Shaw . Though departed from the cast three episodes before, Linda Purl is still featured in the opening credits. (en)
- Lester Matthews, a man Matlock defended seven years ago for killing his friend and business associate, but was convicted, has been granted parole. Shortly after, a fellow inmate tries to try to stab him in the prison library, but he defends himself and kills the other man. The other inmates claim he attacked the man he killed and Matthews is charged with murder. Ben offers to defend him and eventually learns the attempt on his life and the murder he was convicted of may be linked. Tyler goes undercover in the prison and places himself with a cellmate of the man who was murdered. Tyler also delivers evidence to Matlock that not only proves Matthews really is being honest, but also who was really behind the murder Matthews was convicted of seven years ago.
Guest stars: David Froman as Lt. Bob Brooks, Lucille Meredith as Judge Irene Sawyer, Arnold F. Turner as Officer Green, Robert Walden as Roger Bundy, Robert Pine as Sam Dolen, Nick Cassavetes as Foley, Robin Thomas Grossman as Prosecutor Burton Hawkins, Erik Stern as Wayne Lashley, David L. Lander as Eli Walsh, Larry Wilcox as Lester Matthews, Joe Prami as John Colter, Lee Purcell as Andrea Colter (en)
- Matlock defends Brad Bingham , an aging football star with a reputation as a womanizer, for the murder of his girlfriend, the team's owner, who was about to eliminate him from the team. Ben's daughter, Charlene, is opposed to her father taking his case, as she believes everything the tabloids have to say about Brad. In addition, years ago, he had a short relationship with her friend, Ellen Hawley, who nearly committed suicide after they broke up. Brad asks Tyler to talk to Johnny Mack , a bouncer in a bar. After Tyler gets jumped by him, flung onto a table, pushed right through the hall and into a room where he falls onto a box, Johnny finally reveals everything he knows to Tyler when they are in private. As the case proceeds, Charlene realizes that not everything that's printed in the papers is true and maybe Ellen wasn't being honest with her. Caryn Nelson , is a call girl who was hired to frame Brad for the murder by providing him with an alibi that she later denied.
Other guest stars: Richard McKenzie as Lt. Rupert Davis, Betty Lynn as Sarah , Robin Thomas Grossman as Prosecutor Burton Hawkins, Joshua Bryant as Dave Edwards, Alex Hyde-White as Vincient Hyland, Shannon Wilcox as Marsha Barnes and David Froman as Lt. Bob Brooks (en)
- Matlock's daughter Charlene decides to move to Philadelphia to set up her own law practice. While defending the city's union boss , who has been accused of murdering his head rival, Matlock is disgusted when juror #7 comes forward to announce he was paid off by Matlock to vote in an unusual matter. Fortunately for Matlock, he gets some help from Julie — while being accused for jury tampering, she understood he would never take on a bribe when she helps him become innocent .
Note: This is Linda Purl's final episode . The following season, she is replaced by Nancy Stafford. (en)
- Police detective Joe Peters has been framed of taking bribes and murdering a fence, and was to be believed in the death of another cop, Harry Landers . When the subject came about, it is revealed that one of the other police officers of Atlanta was more involved than they should have been.
Other guest stars: James Handy as a Prosecutor, James McEachin as Lt. Frank Daniels, Robert Donner as a Truck Driver, John Lehne as Captain Braddock, Lucille Meredith as Judge Irene Sawyer, John Mariano as Eddie Leeds, Charles Cypher as Tom Coyle, Andrew Bloch as Michael Danello, Justin Williams as Donnie Styles (en)
- Amy Adler , a young lady with a juvenile record, is fired for not showing up to work on time by her photographer boss, Randall Blake . When Blake is found murdered the next morning, Amy is accused of the crime, and persists Matlock to represent her. Despite not having an interest in pro bono cases, a case about her catches his interest, and he is glad to help her out. Matlock soon discovers Blake had confidential info on three well respected Atlanta women, which was being used for blackmail, and suspects one of the women killed Blake to protect her secret. After heading back to the studio and picking up some supplies, Amy is beaten up by a man , causing her best dress to get ruined. Tyler comes to rescue her and finds she took the man's picture.
Note: Though departed from the cast one episode before, Linda Purl is still featured in the opening credits. (en)
- Sisters Julia and Emily McCullough execute a clever and cold-hearted plan to murder their wealthy aunt Esther and frame her husband, Harold Scully. They go to their college library under the pretext of studying, then Julia sneaks back to the house disguised as a burglar, bludgeons Esther to death, and allows Harold to see her fleeing, knowing he'll be the only one. Meanwhile, Emily calls attention to herself twice in the library, one of those times being disguised as Julia, to give both sisters an alibi. Ben reluctantly agrees to defend the annoying Scully, who's also a friend of Tyler's, and is faced with the challenge of breaking the seemingly airtight alibi of the sisters, as well as the strong bond between them.
Other guest stars: James McEachin as Lt. Frank Daniels, Gene Ross as Harold Scully, Oceana Marr as Esther Scully, Bruno Alexander as a Detective, Lee Paul as Caretaker James Henderson, Michael Durrell as D.A. Lloyd Burgess, Conchata Ferrell as Mrs. Reece
Note: this episode was loosely based on the Leopold and Loeb case. (en)
- A woman in a small town writes a book whose characters are actual people in the town. When it becomes a best seller, the press converge on the town to interview them, and some of them threaten the woman. When the local Reverend Deluca goes to visit her, someone takes a shot at her, but kills the Reverend instead. The police investigate and it leads them to one of the town's doctors, Dr. Phillip Eagen, who was depicted in the book as being a druggie, which he denies, and threatened the woman. Ben comes to defend him, and starts by checking some of the other people depicted in the book, but learns none of them have reason to kill her. Later, Ben discovers a different motive and suspect for the killing, as well as the possibility Deluca was the intended target.
Other guest stars: Michael Durrell as D.A. Lloyd Burgess, Parker Stevenson as Dr. Phillip Eagen, Guy Stockwell as Chief Johnson, Stanley Kamel as Jeweler Mark Douglas, Brion James as Mr. Grock, John Schuck as Reporter Carl Burke, Kay Freeman as Majorie Sawyer, Eddie Quillan as David Sears, Richard Newton as Judge Richard Crooksey, Audrey Lindley as Mary Ann Newton, Elizabeth Savage as Barbara Gleason, Louise Claire Clark as Jessie Peters (en)
- When a house blows up and a body is found which appears to be that of the owner Glen Palmer, the police investigate and think that Glen's wife, Laurie , killed him to collect on his life insurance. When Laurie is arrested, a reporter tells Ben about it and when he offers to defend her, the reporter is hopeful about getting a story. When they look into Glen's background, they discover a lot of irregularities, and even the neighbor saw some peculiar things on the night of the explosion.
Note: Andy Griffith is the only main cast member to appear in this episode. Though departed from the cast two episodes before this one, Linda Purl is still featured in the opening credits. (en)
- Matlock and Charlene to take the case of the Spanish maid Sonia Cardenas , who is accused of killing her employer, Richard Ward. Richard's wife, Christina, says her husband was a womanizer, that Sonia was another one of his dalliances, and that she wants to make it public. Ben becomes worried when Sonia refuses to cooperate and keeps claiming she is guilty. Tyler meanwhile, trails
Sonia's cousin, who can possibly provide her with an alibi, but the cousin is hit by a car and later hospitalized with broken bones and a concussion. Matlock wants to know who killed the patriarch as Charlene crosses paths with one of her ex-boyfriends; Christina's son Clark Harrison.
Guest Stars: Kevin Conroy as Clark Harrison, Ron Ulstad as Sgt. Maguire, Ivan Bonar as a Judge, Phillip Sterling as a Prosecutor, Jeff Conaway as Daniel Ward, Carolyn Seymour as Christina Harrison Ward, Marsha Hunt as Aunt Harriet, John Christy Ewing as Richard Ward, Alina Cenal as Mrs. Rodriquez, Jenny Beck as Lila Harrison, Max Segar as Forbes, the butler (en)
- Ben and Charlene take the controversial case of a Mafia don Nicholas Baron accused of murdering a business rival, Donald Kovack ; Charlene is attracted to the man's son, Paul Baron .
Other guest stars: Betty Lynn as Sarah , Johnny Silver as Eddie Alonzo, Joe Penny as Paul Baron, José Ferrer as Nicholas Baron, Doran Clark as Cathy Baron, Mark La Mura as Dr. Daniel Baron, William Conrad as D.A. James L. McShane , Alan Campbell as Palmer , James McEachin as Lt. Frank Daniels, Joseph Hacker as Phillip Kovack, Claude Earl Jones as Mr. Henderson, Ron Karabatsos as Dave Christopher, Sheree North as Alice Jenkins, Dominic Oliver as Roy Vincient, Joan Roberts as Mrs. Kovack, Tom McCleister as a Metro Cop, Lucille Meredith as Judge Irene Sawyer (en)
- A popular actor is accused of killing the man who headed the sex therapy clinic where Brett was residing, and Matlock takes on the case. Ben's temporary thorn in his side is Cassie Phillips, a law student he once made an off-hand comment to about finding a job as a lawyer's assistant; she took him very seriously than he thought, while taking advantage of him in not doing the job he asked her to do. Tyler told Matlock that Cassie was kidnapped at the clinic, pretending Kimberly Bradshaw was not there.
Note: Though Linda Purl does not appear in this episode, her voice is heard. Charlene tells her father that she is handling a case in Philadelphia. Kari Lizer makes her first appearance as Cassie Phillips. (en)
- After Charlene tells Matlock that she is already working for other people, he reluctantly represents the free-spirited popular rocker Margaret "Angel" Danello , a young lady who has been accused of killing her manager Lou Pearson . Because of her alcohol-induced black-out, she is unable to present an alibi. That evening, Matlock gets very furious when Angel continues to ignore his orders at keeping her temper. Fortunately, she learns to take his advice to heart before she gets convicted of the murder.
Other guest stars: Kari Lizer as Angel , Jonathan Frakes as D.A. Park, Kip Gilman as Sonny Hutton, Richard McKenzie as Lt. Rueben Davis, Julia Cobb as Janice Pearson, John Chappell as Rupert, Betty McGuire as Mrs. Hoffman, Gary Werntz as Trashcan Reed, Charles Hoyes as Snake Barker (en)
- While Kathy Warren , a private nurse for Peter St. John and his family, is on duty, Peter inexplicably dies suddenly. When it is determined he was murdered, Nurse Warren is the prime suspect. Meanwhile, Matlock and a new woman in town get into an elevator at the courthouse which malfunctions. Matlock, while at an arraignment hearing with Kathy, finds out the woman in the elevator with is the new A.D.A., Julie March. Later, Peter's sister Lacey tells Julie that a ring was stolen from their house, believing Kathy was responsible and killed Peter when he caught her in the act, as Peter was sick and she presumably thought his death would appear to be from natural causes, but Ben is sure that something is not right in the St. Johns' home and that somebody is lying - someone who benefited greatly with both Peter and Kathy out of the way.
Other guest stars: Christine Rose as Lacey St. John, Billy Zane as Eric Dawson, Laurie O'Brien as Barbara Warren, Jo De Winter as Ruth Delamey, Jason Wingreen as Judge Arthur Beaumont, Robert Broyles as Mark, Ed Quinlan as Peter St. John, Paul Reid Roman as Marcus Scott
Note: Julie Sommars makes her first appearance as Julie March. (en)
- At Christmas time, heartless businessman Alan Rollins wants to evict the residents of an apartment building he owns. He tangles with a resident named Tom McCabe , a former bank robber who just happens to be working as a street Santa. That night, someone wearing a Santa suit kills Rollins and tangles with McCabe. The next morning, the murder is discovered and McCabe is accused. Ben offers to defend McCabe, and suspects that one of the victim's three associates is the killer because the letter opener Rollins supposedly used to cut McCabe in self-defense was found near the body, and he believes that whoever broke into McCabe's apartment slashed him with the letter opener to get his blood on it and planted it at the crime scene the next morning.
Guest stars: David Froman as Lt. Bob Brooks, Michael Durrell as D.A. Lloyd Burgess, Pat Hingle as Tom McCabe, Barry Jenner as Mark Harris, Betty Lynn as Sarah , Andrew Masset as Dan Paulson, Grainger Hines as Carl Lang, Linden Chiles as Alan Rollins, Charlotte Stewart as Mrs. Pellmen, Terri Treas as Annie Harris, Richard Newton as Judge Richard Cooksey, Sean McGuirk as a Detective, Gary Bergher as Duke Mitchell (en)
- A sinister Army officer, Lt. Ray Walters pushes his cadets too hard, which leads to a confrontation with Private Chris Hughes after Walters's rough treatment caused Private Bobby Thomas , who was Chris's best friend, to die of a ruptured appendix during maneuvers. Walters is later found dead in the officer's club and Chris is accused of the murder. Chris's father and Matlock's friend, Arthur , hires him to defend Chris. Charlene also helps, but Matlock also begs Tyler to rejoin the Army, because Chris' father and Gen. Connors both had to go all the way to the Pentagon to get Tyler into Chris' platoon. In the midst of the hearing, Ben finds a witness who can support Chris's alibi, but during that time, Chris disappears. (en)
- After a night out in town, Debra O'Keefe is drowned in her bathtub. The case against her boyfriend, Adam Gardner , looks weak, especially when an eyewitness points the finger at him. After corporate lawyers ask him to plead guilty, Matlock and Tyler travel to Beverly Hills to defend Adam. The more Matlock believes in Adam's innocence, and the more he learns about the victim, the greater the motive his client has —
especially when it comes to the love letters that were alternated between the victim and John Sinclair , Adam's assumed best friend.
Other guest stars: Erwin Fuller as Judge Sean Black, William Bogert as Mr. Wallingford, Jimmy Baio as Mark Williams, Gregory Itzin as Carl Richardson, Jack Rader as L.A. Lawyer, James A. Watson Jr. as Prosecutor, Rex Ryon as Buster, James V. Christy as Jimmy, and Herb Edelman as Arthur Rydell.
Note: Linda Purl does not appear in this episode. Purl's ex-husband, Desi Arnaz Jr., guest stars. (en)
- Ben's old law professor, Erskine Tate , is arrested on charges of committing vehicular homicide, but claims to have no recollection of what happened; Ben defends him, and suspects the man's assistant and two of his students of being behind the whole thing, and has to figure out the reason why.
Other guest stars: James McEachin as Lt. Frank Daniels, Michael Durrell as D.A. Lloyd Burgess, Christopher McDonald as Eric Lane, Daniel Davis as James Billings, and Henry G. Sanders as Pat Gaines, Nicholas Cascone as Wesley Wallace, and Richard Newton as Judge Richard Cooksey (en)
- Matlock defends TV cooking-show hostess Victoria Edwards, who is charged with murder in the on-camera death of a guest chef, who happens to be her ex-husband, Michael Edwards, whose success came in no small measure from appropriating her recipes and expertise during their 12-year marriage. Michael was killed by an allergic reaction to eggs, so Ben tries to figure out who else besides Victoria could have planted the allergen in Michael's dish. But one of Ben's suspects is killed as well, further frustrating his attempts.
Guest stars: James McEachin as Lt. Frank Daniels, Roddy McDowall as Christopher Hoyt, Allan Arbus as Peter Leonie, Ray Reinhardt as Stefan Lichtman, Lee Garlington as Paula, Nancy Lane as Leslie, Craig Claiborne as Michael Edwards, Michael Durrell as D.A. Lloyd Burgess, Cathryn Damon as Victoria Edwards, Jeff Austin as a Police Officer, Joseph Burke as a Bakery Manager, Richard Newton as Judge Richard Cooksey (en)
- Chris finally finds the courage to return to the base, but the witness who could prove his innocence gets cold feet and flees the base. Matlock's attempts to find other proof lead him to discover a lieutenant , along with three other officers, dealing illegal substances. Tyler also finds out about and exposes the drug scheme, and Charlene discovers Walters was in on the scheme as well, and is positive one of the four officers was the real killer. Matlock finally put the pieces together and successfully proves Chris's innocence . (en)
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