Episode 273, scene 1.

     Dr. Michael Rossi is testifying in judge Irwin A. Chester's court.
     Rodney is there.  So are Betty, Elliot, Sandy, Chris and others.

JF:  So what you've told us, Dr. Rossi, is that your deepening friendship 
     and eventual love for Ann Howard was checkered by a series of 
     harassments.  Harassments which were perpetrated on her by the 
     accused, Lee Webber.  Which indicated an attitude of bitter and 
     unremitting hostility on his part.
MR:  Yes. 
JF:  Your honor, at this time, I would like to examine these incidents 
     and corroborate them with the witness. 
JC:  Proceed, Mr. Fowler.
JF:  Thank you, your honor.

LW:  [Quietly to Steven]  The man's pretty cool at that.
SC:  He's always cool.
LW:  Then again.  So are you.

JF:  [In the background]  Dr. Rossi, you stated that in mid April you 
     drove your car to Rodney Harrington's garage . . . 

MR:  Yes I did.
JF:  Did you talk to anyone there?
MR:  Yes.  Lee Webber.
JF:  What was the substance of your conversation?
MR:  I brought my car in there to be serviced and it looked like it was 
     going to take the better part of the day so he offered me his car. 
JF:  Did you take him up on his offer?
MR:  Yes.  Later on that day he brought me my car at the hospital.
JF:  Was Ann Howard employed at the hospital at that time?
MR:  Oh, yes, she was.
JF:  Did the accused leave the hospital directly after turning your car 
     back over to you?
MR:  He went into the therapy room and he talked with Ann Howard.

MR:  Mr. Fowler, your honor.  I don't want my answers to imply something 
     that happened more than that.  I . . .   Well I have a very strong 
     responsibility here.  And I have a feeling that my anwers are adding 
     up to something that they don't mean. 
JC:  We appreciate your feeling of responsibility, Dr. Rossi.  However, 
     this court is experienced enough to draw conclusions only where they 
     are warranted. 

JC:  Proceed Mr. Fowler. 
JF:  Dr. Rossi.  After miss Howard's death did you, as her fiancée, 
     pay off the balance of a sum of money she owed to Rodney 
     Harrington's garage? 
MR:  I did.
JF:  How had she contracted this debt?
MR:  Well, she bought a car at the garage.
JF:  Who sold her the car?
MR:  Lee Webber.
JF:  Your honor, I would like at this time to place before the court this 
     garage statement.  It itemizes repairs made on the car in question.  
     Specifically, major repairs to the shock absorbers, ball joints, 
     suspension, and the steering column.  
JC:  Let the record show the statement was accepted as peoples' number 5. 
JF:  Did Lee Webber ever mention to you that the car should be repaired 
     before it could be driven safely?
MR:  No.  No, he didn't.
JF:  To your knowledge, did he ever tell miss Howard of the unsafe 
     condition of the car before he sold it to her?
SC:  [Rising to his feet]  Objection.  There is no way of establishing 
     that. 
JC:  Sustained.  Please be careful, Mr. Fowler. 
JF:  I'm sorry, your honor.

JF:  Did you have any subsequent conversations with the accused?
MR:  Yes, I did.  At the garage.  I gave him a warning.
JF:  A warning?  
MR:  Yes, Ann Howard had come to me at the office at the hospital.  She 
     was upset.  It seemed that Lee Webber had detained her at the 
     hospital. 
SC:  [Rising to his feet]  Objection.  The witness is continually relying 
     on hearsay, your honor. 
JC:  Objection sustained.  Hearsay, Dr. Rossi is a category of 
     inadmissible evidence.
JF:  Dr. Rossi, what was the nature of the warning you gave the 
     accused?
MR:  Well, I told him to stop with his harassment of miss Howard.  And if 
     he didn't he would have to deal with me. 
JF:  What was the accused response to your warning?
MR:  He didn't like it.  He began to argue about it. 
JF:  Was he hostile?
MR:  Yes.
JF:  Did he agree not to bother miss Howard again?
MR:  No.  No, he never agreed to that.
JF:  I see.  Doctor, did you shortly after this receive a phone call from 
     Mrs. Elliot Carson? 
MR:  Yes.  Yes, I did. 
JF:  What was the substance of the phone call?
MR:  Well, Mrs. Carson called me, to warn me that Lee Webber was out on 
     some kind of a drunken spree.  She thought there was a possibility 
     that he might intend to harm Ann Howard.  But I think it ought to 
     should be stated, at this point, that on that day Lee Webber was 
     fired from his job.  And It might have been that he was out blowing 
     off steam, or something.  But, in any case he didn't approach miss 
     Howard. 

LW:  [Quietly to Steven]  Hey, what's going on?
SC:  I don't know.  He's kicking toward the wrong goal post.

JF:  Your honor, the concluding part of the witness's state was not 
     responsive to my question.  I move it be stricken from the record.
JC:  Strike it as non-nresponsive.
JF:  Dr. Rossi, did you talk with miss Howard on the day of her death?
MR:  Yes, I did.  Twice.
JF:  What exactly did you talk about the first time?
MR:  Well, I was in my office and I told her that when she got off work, 
     I wanted her to go to the beach cottage and wait there until I came 
     home. 
JF:  Why did you feel it necessary to issue such an ultimatum to miss 
     Howard?  

JF:  Dr. Rossi, shall I repeat the question?
MR:  No, Mr. Fowler,  I heard you.  I was concerned.  I was very 
     concerned about her welfare. 
JF:  Please be more specific, doctor. 
MR:  She didn't feel that she was in any danger.  I couldn't convice her 
     that she was.  I tried. 
JF:  What kind of danger?  Are you referring to the threats made to her 
     by the accused?
SC:  [Rising to his feet]  Objection, your honor.  Leading the witness. 
JC:  Strike the question.
JF:  Dr. Rossi, I want to read to you a section of the statement that you 
     made prior to this hearing.  Quote.  

          The day Ann died, she came to the hospital in the morning. 
          After we talked, I instructed her to go directly to my place 
          after work and to wait there for me.  I didn't know what Lee 
          Webber's frame of mind was and I didn't want her to take any 
          chances.  I thought she would be safe out at the beach. 

     End quote.  Are these your words, doctor? 
MR:  Yes they are.
JF:  Then, in effect, you were more than just generally concerned about 
     Ann Howard's welfare that day, weren't you?  You were specifically 
     worried about what might happen to her if she encountered Lee 
     Webber, the man whose hatred for her had continued unabated ever 
     since she first came back to town.  Isn't that true, Dr. Rossi? 
     [Bad tape edit]
SC:  [Rising to his feet]  I object, your honor.
JC:  [Disgustedly]  Mr. Fowler.
JF:  That's all, doctor.

     [Scene ends.]









Episode 273, scene 1          HOME