Trial by Error 

It's a bad day for the jurors when Jessica is the foreperson of the jury hearing the case of a man claiming self-defense in the death of an enraged husband.

Director:

Seymour Robbie

Writers:

Peter S. Fischer (created by), Richard Levinson (created by)

Stars:

Angela Lansbury, David Ackroyd, Tony Bill

Cast

Episode cast overview, first billed only:
Angela Lansbury	...	Jessica Fletcher
David Ackroyd	...	Prosecutor Tom Casselli
Tony Bill	...	Mark Lee Reynolds
Virginia Capers	...	Margo Webster
Macdonald Carey	...	Defense Atty. Oscar Ramsey
Doran Clark	...	Becky Anderson
Jon Cypher	...	Defense Atty. Max Flynn
Gene Evans	...	Otto Fry
Tom Ewell	...	Josh Corbin
Gary Frank	...	Lee Callahan
Arlene Golonka	...	Sally Conover
Alan Hale Jr.	...	Fenton Harris (as Alan Hale)
Lenore Kasdorf	...	Ally Collins
Vicki Lawrence	...	Jackie MacKay
Allan Miller	...	Frank Lord

Storyline

After Mark Lee Reynolds's wife, Stephanie, is in a car accident, which at best could leave her disabled for life but at worst could kill her, while he is wounded in the shoulder, criminal John Detweiler sees Reynolds pick up a woman in a bar where he tries to drink some courage. Detweiler calls the woman's jealous husband, goon Cliff Anderson, who knows his wife is serially unfaithful. Jessica is the foreperson of the jury that must decide if Reynolds committed the murder of Cliff Anderson or only killed in self-defense. She makes everyone go over the crucial witness and expert testimonies during the trial and slowly makes them shift focus from prejudices to evidence and logical deduction concerning premeditation, motive and material facts, pondering both theories, till she comes up with a crucial twist.

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Plot Keywords:

jury | bar | trial | hospital | jury room | 

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery

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Certificate:

TV-PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

12 January 1986 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Stage 29, Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Television

Technical Specs

Runtime:

47 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Brock Peters is a juror in this episode in to kill a mockingbird he is a defendent

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Goofs

Basic EMT protocol is to never move a victim of trauma without first installing a cervical collar (neck brace). This is always done before placing victims on a backboard.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Mark Lee Reynolds: I'm all right. I'm all right. Take- Take- Take care of her. Take care of her.
Arthur Jasper: Don't move.

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Soundtracks

Murder She Wrote Theme
Written by John Addison

User Reviews

"Nine to Two for Acquittal, and One Undecided..."

One of the finest episodes of "Murder, She Wrote" boasts a stellar cast of film and television veterans in a most witty exchange of dialogue....

"At the scene of a vehicular accident": Tony Bill as Mark Lee Reynolds, Diane Lander as Stephanie Reynolds, Javier Grajeda as Paramedic, and Warren J. Kemmerling as Doctor Maurice Webster.

"At the Last Resort": Doran Clark as Becky Anderson, James Hampton as Jerry Blevins, John Davis Chandler as John Detweiler, Gregory Walcott as Willie Patchecki, and Michael Swan as Cliff Anderson.

"Inside Cabot Cove County Courthouse": Walter Mathews as Judge Philo Walker, David Ackroyd as Prosecutor Tom Casselli, Jon Cypher as Defense Attorney Max Flynn, R.J. Adams as Ballistics expert Victor Assmussen, Alan Hale Jr. as Motel owner Fenton Harris, Robert Casper as Becky Anderson's neighbor Arthur Jasper, and Macdonald Carey as Defense Attorney Oscar Ramsey.

"Ladies and Gentlemen of the Jury" (Clockwise from lower left): Tom Ewell as Josh Corbin, Virginia Capers as Margo Webster, Arlene Golonka as Sally Conover, Richard Sanders as Gerald Richards, Lenore Kasdorf as Ally Collins, Allan Miller as Frank Lord, Gary Frank as Lee Callahan, Gene Evans as Otto Fry, Norman Burton as Drew Narramore, Vicki Lawrence as Jackie MacKay, Brock Peters as Thornton Bentley, and Angela Lansbury as Jessica Fletcher.

Synopsis... On the night of a one-vehicle accident, paramedics arrive to rescue a severely-injured Stephanie Reynolds from the compact automobile driven by husband, Mark, who refuses treatment for his arm and shoulder injury.

At the hospital, where Mark, again, refuses treatment, Dr. Webster informs him that although there is a good chance that Stephanie may recover, she may never walk again.

Mark immediately exits the hospital in despair, to arrive at The Last Resort tavern, at which he is greeted by Becky Anderson, who asks Jerry the Bartender for a cloth to tend to Mark's facial lacerations. By midnight, Becky tells Mark that she must leave, offering to fix him a cup of coffee to offset his drinking.

A concealed Johnny Detweiler witnesses the exchange and notifies Becky's estranged husband, Cliff Anderson, who stays with Willie Patchecki. An incensed Cliff reacts, "Trial separation, she says! I'm going to kill that woman!"

About seven weeks later, Judge Philo Walker pounds his gavel inside a Cabot Cove County courtroom: "Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, you've heard the evidence. Now, you must decide whether the defendant...."

Some of the finest dialogue delivery of this series ensues around the chamber, as nine impatient jurors see this as a case which should never have come to trial, but as a bid by a politically ambitious District Attorney.

Two jurors, however, vote "Guilty as charged" as flashbacks of the proceedings are presented and witness testimony is re-examined by the "Undecided" Jury Chairperson, Mrs. Jessica Fletcher.

Three possible scenarios of "Fireplace Poker Flinging" are presented for Jessica and the unwilling jurors to re-examine.

Asks the edgy Radio Host Frank Lord of Jessica, "Oh, so you're the 'undecided' one?"

Answers an impatient Josh Corbin, "If she wasn't, do you think that we'd be sitting here all day, re-examining the evidence?"