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YOUR STORY
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matter of legal evidence, his case is complete at this point. In a real courtroom, at this juncture, Jimmy would have triumphantly addressed the jury in somewhat the following strain;
“Gentlemen of the Jury: The only issue before this court is the guilt or innocence of the defendant. We have conclusively proved that it was the defendant’s right hand which took hold of the knife. We have also proved that Edgar Rice could have been killed only by a blow delivered with the left hand. Therefore, the evidence showing that my client held the knife with her right hand proves absolutely nothing with regard to the murder. I demand, therefore, that she be acquitted.”
Now we will all admit that this terse play of logic would make a very undramatic finish to an exciting murder mystery. It would fail, furthermore, to satisfy the curiosity of playgoers, inasmuch as it would not solve the mystery. Everybody in the audience wants to know who killed Rice. It is not enough to demonstrate Mary Dugan’s innocence. Hence, the author adds to the court scene a grand melodramatic gesture which, though not strictly impossible, is assuredly improbable and, legally speaking, gratuitous. Jimmy walks several paces away from West, as West is sitting on the witness stand, then turns suddenly to him, holds up the knife, and asks him if he has ever seen it. West, looking at it, says he hasn’t. Whereupon Jimmy tosses the knife to West, who catches it with his left hand. At this juncture, Mrs. Rice screams in her best melodramatic fashion. And Jimmy turns to the jury triumphantly and demands the acquittal of Mary Dugan.
Fake? Yes. But exceedingly clever 1