Diksha Sundriyal
The second season of HBO’s ‘Perry Mason’ puts the titular character in a tough spot when he discovers that his clients are not as innocent as he thought when he took their case. Perry Mason stands up for justice, so when he realizes that he has no choice but to defend the Gallardo brothers, even though he knows they are guilty, it is difficult for him to keep up his desire to get them out of prison. In this episode, Mason moves on from the black-and-white perspective he initially showed toward his client and dedicates himself to the job. However, the better he represents his clients, the worse things get for him outside the court. SPOILERS AHEAD
Perry Mason Season 2 “Chapter Thirteen” Recap
The trial is upon the Gallardo brothers. Perry Mason and Della Street arrive at court with no idea how to turn the tide in favor of their clients while holding on to the murder weapon that proves their guilt without a doubt. In the opening statements, Milligan establishes the foundation of his case, upon which he calls witnesses to convince the jury of the Gallardo brothers’ crime. Perry’s only chance to build a case is to point the blame elsewhere. His words create an uproar in the court, and at one point, despite having discredited the witness, he is made fun of.
Drake talks with Councilman Vincent Taylor to find out how Noreen might be connected to Brooks. Taylor is hostile to him. He reveals that Noreen went to the hospital due to an accident and refuses to acknowledge whether or not Brooks was behind the wheel. He becomes aggressive when Drake starts talking about the McCutcheon Stadium. Meanwhile, Rafael’s mother tells Mason about the money that Sofia found in the car. This convinces Mason that someone higher up pulled the strings to kill Brooks. Now, he knows how to fight this case.
Perry Mason Season 2 Episode 5 Ending: Who Put a Hit on Brooks McCutcheon?
When the Gallardo brothers confessed to Mason, they said that it was a robbery gone wrong. Mateo had pulled the trigger, but both were on the scene. The story doesn’t go down with Mason and Drake because there is no evidence of a scuffle on the crime scene, as opposed to what Rafael and Mateo said. Now that he knows about the money, Mason asks them to tell the complete truth.
Rafael and Mateo reveal that they were paid by a man named Ozzy Jackson to kill Brooks. Their only identifying factor is that the man is known for always wearing sneakers. Now Mason and Co. have a new lead to a chase, but the Gallardo brothers confess that it was more than just about money for them. They had a home from which they were driven out in the middle of the night because Brooks McCutcheon wanted to make a stadium there.
Recalling the night they were pushed out of their homes, they remember the chaos in which they fled. The adults were thrown out of the house by the cops, but they didn’t pay attention to their sister, who was still a child. She was inside the closet while her family was being harassed. In the chaos, no one noticed she didn’t make it out while the houses caught fire. By the time Rafael realized it, it was already too late. He tried to save her, which led to the scars on his face. They blamed this on the McCutcheons, so when they got the chance to exact revenge, they took it.
Rafael and Mateo’s story attests to the fact that the McCutcheons are corrupt, which Mason can use in favor of his clients. Now that they know about Ozzy Jackson, they have a good lead. Chasing it leads Drake to the doorstep of Melvin Perkins, whom he had spied upon in the first episode for Strickland. Mason uses the pictures he took of Perkins to get his help in finding Jackson. Perkins keeps his end of the deal, but the experience becomes rather traumatizing for Drake, making him question his integrity.
Jackson confesses that he did give money to the Gallardo brothers. The money was given to him by a rich man whose wife was Jackson’s client. She would get drugs from him, and the husband wanted that to stop. While he tried to get help for his wife, he told Jackson to stay away too and paid him to ensure he did as asked. This confirms that someone put out a hit on Brooks. Now, they have to find out who this person is.
While Mason feels the pressure concerning the case, he is surprised when Hamilton Burger offers a plea deal for the Gallardos. The possibility of a death sentence is taken off the table in return for the brothers confessing on tape. It is particularly shocking because Mason had tried to get a deal only a few days before, and Burger and Milligan refused even to hear his terms.
Della notices that Hamilton cannot even look her in the eyes, which means he is doing this under pressure. Some influential people are pushing Hamilton’s buttons, wanting the whole trial to blow over quickly rather than becoming something that could become a problem for them. This only makes Mason more adamant about getting to the bottom of the truth. The plea deal is refused, and while Milligan is happy about it, Hamilton warns him not to underestimate Mason.
Milligan fully understands this the next day when Mason tears apart his fingerprint theory in front of the court. Now that the young prosecutor knows that his adversary isn’t as weak as he’d imagined, he turns toward other ways to get to him. He calls in Strickland to learn more about Mason, though it remains to be seen whether Strickland will choose to betray his friend. In the meantime, Mason has a lot of other people who mean him harm. As if turning the public against him wasn’t enough, Mason discovers someone broke into his house at night. It is a warning, showing that these people can get to him inside his home. This is scary but proves that the lawyer is on the right path.
Read More: Is Perry Mason Based on a Real Lawyer or Detective?
