User Reviews

Robert Middleton plays Judge Daniel Redmond, a highly respected jurist who decides to run for Lt. Governor against Victor Kendall (David White). But when a wartime scam threatens to smear his honest image and his accuser suddenly turns up dead, Redmond becomes a murder suspect. His loyal secretary Marian Lamont (Florida Friebus) goes to Perry to ask for help.

This is like a TVland spectacular of favorites. David White is instantly recognizable as Larry Tate from "Bewitched" while Jackie Coogan was moonlighting from playing Uncle Fester on "the Addams Family". Florida Freibus was not only Dobie Gillis' mom, but would later become a regular in Dr. Bob Hartley's group sessions on "the Bob Newhart Show". Harry Holcombe, who plays the lead Senator in the hearings was a regular on "Bonanza" as Doc Martin in the show's final year and played Grampa in a series of Countrytime Lemonade commercials. Even Robert Middleton, who is mostly known for movie roles and guest shots, spent a season as a regular on "The Monroes". So that makes this episode seem a bit like old home week, and that's not a bad thing.

There is a ton of things to like about this episode. First it starts with Perry losing a case in court. Then we have one of the strongest of over 20 scripts written by Newman in this series with a co-writer who only worked on this one script. They do a double headed plot and create a character (Lobbyist) here who is very much like a basic James Spader Blacklist kind of person, very shady and indirect. This character is a bit of a challenge for Mason when he takes the stand.

Then there is the David White Journalist who is a strong threat to the Judge whose character is very well played by Middleton. Mason loses his case in the judges court but even though he does, he takes on the judge as a client. It's not easy as the Judge is accused of Corruption, taking a bribe and murder. There is a lot to find out from the start and I am not sure of the Judges legal fee, but considering the amount of information Paul Drake's men have to dig up it is safe to say everybody earns their money.

This episode has some of the stronger Burger-Mason face offs of any trial in the series. Burger has a strong case and motive that Mason has to rip apart. When he has done it, his last sentence is right on. "Your Honor, the Defense rests." there is no rest for Mason after as he is arguing law with his judge client even after the trail. This one in many ways is a Legal Cat Fight.

This is certainly one of the very best episodes of the Mason catalogue. A judge who is considered beyond reproach and a model of integrity gets framed while running for office. The courtroom drama was great. The scene prior to the courtroom where Perry quotes one of the judge's writings to convince him to fight back and not resign was very good. This is probably my favorite episode.

***SPOILERS*** Perry Mason's, Raymond Burr, good friend Judge Daniel "Danny" Redmond's , Robert Middledton, past catches up with him in what's exposed as a fraudulent deal with a company contracted out by the US Navy in WWII. This all comes out when this boozy and barley sober Marrtin Weston, Vaughn Taylor, suddenly clams up when under reinvestigation by the US Justice Department he's told to explain his actions that in fact ended up with the then assistant attorney general of the state of California getting a judgeship because in him upholding this sleazy and criminal, in war time no less, action. This all comes out when the Judge won the nomination for California's deputy governor on the democratic, making him a shoo in to win, ticket.

With Perry who took on his case slowing proving that the accusation's against his client, Jude Redmond, are falsie the Judge is implicated in the murder, by having him poisoned,of the person who accused him of this crime, a pay off to get a judgeship, Martin Weston. Perry soon discovers that not only was Judge Redmound framed for a crime he didn't commit, bribery, 20 years ago in 1943 but has now been framed for a crime he as well didn't commit, murder, twenty years later!

***SPOILERS*** As things turned out it was sour grapes on the part of Weston's murderer who by not getting what he was after legally then tried to get it, by framing Judge Redmound, criminally.The confusing ending has Weston's killer meekly admit under Perry's almost half hearted cross-examination that he in fact was the man who murdered Martin Weston and framed Judge Redmond for the crime. Weston's killer who was so sure he would get away with his crime in framing Judge Redmond and then seeing that whole plan was falling apart resorted to murder to keep it afloat only to end up hanging himself in the end.