Mason said irritably, “If the district attorney’s office will keep from throwing legal monkey wrenches into the machinery, I expect to show that Pete Chennery murdered Austin Cullens. I expect to show it by proof which...”
“That will do, Mr. Mason,” Judge Barnes interrupted. “You have no call to refer to Counsel as throwing legal monkey wrenches into the machinery. Counsel has interposed objections which, so far, the Court has deemed to be well taken. The Court has asked you only to explain why you consider this evidence relevant.”
“I will connect it up,” Mason said. “I will connect it up by proving that this defendant couldn’t have killed Austin Cullens because Pete Chennery did.”
Judge Barnes said, “This is a very unusual procedure.”
“It’s a very unusual case,” Mason said.
“For the moment, I will overrule the objection,” Judge Barnes said, “but will strike out so much of the answer as relating to the apartment where Pete Chennery lived. There is no evidence connecting Pete Chennery with Lone Bedford.”
“There is no evidence,” Mason said, “because the Prosecution won’t allow us to introduce that evidence.”
“The Prosecution has nothing to do with it,” Judge Barnes said. “It is the Court which is controlling the order of proof, you will proceed, Mr. Mason, and confine your remarks to the Court.”
“Very well,” Mason said. “I will ask you, Mr. Drake, whether or not you took, or caused to be taken under your supervision, photographs of latent fingerprints in the house in which Austin Cullens lived.”
“I did,”