Criminal trials have always been a staple of daytime television, and none were more important than those presented on "The Edge of Night." As a thinly veiled remake of "Perry Mason," dramatic trials were a logical, integral extension of the crime/mystery format.
Generally at least one major criminal trial was presented each year on "The Edge of Night." Occasionally two trials would be featured; however, this usually occurred when one extended from the end of the year to the beginning of the next, and then another trial would be presented later in the year. During Henry Slesar's tenure as headwriter, the practice of yearly trials was discontinued. Slesar wanted to move the show's format away from its Perry Mason trappings to include other crime genres. As a result, some years did not contain any criminal proceedings at all. No trials were featured during the following years: 1956, 1969, 1971, 1972, 1976, 1981, 1982, and 1983.
Although the majority of trials on The Edge of Night involved murder, other types of criminal cases were presented, too. A notable exception to homicide-oriented court proceedings included the trial of Beth Moon for the attempted murder of Vera Simms (1963), while two custody trials were also televised: Serena Faraday vs. Mark Faraday (1975) and Logan Swift vs. Raven Alexander (1980).
Criminal trials on The Edge of Night usually followed a strict formula: an innocent person would be falsely accused of murder and tried for the crime, then the real killer would be tricked into making an "eleventh hour" confession either before or shortly after a verdict was rendered. One obvious departure from this formula occurred in May 1979 when Winter Austen received a "not guilty" verdict in the murder of Wade Meecham.
Trials on the series generally lasted approximately 2-3 months of airtime. The shortest trial in Edge history was The State vs. Draper Scott (1980), which began and ended in a two-week period. Several trials lasted longer than three months, two notable instances being The State vs. Julie Jamison (1968) and The State vs. Adam Drake (1973), both of which ran for four months of airtime.
It should also be noted that during Irving Vendig's association with The Edge of Night viewers always knew the killer's identity. The first actual murder mystery occurred in 1966 when Roy Cameron was found dead, having been pushed out of Phil Capice's office window. Beginning with Henry Slesar's long tenure as headwriter, most of the criminal trials presented were associated with mysteries, the real killer's identity being withheld from the audience.
The following is a list of major trials telecast during "The Edge of Night's" twenty-eight year run:
Cora Lane Pre-Trial Hearing:
Date: April-May 1957
Defendant: Cora Lane
Charge: Murder of Marilyn Bollon
Defense Counsel: Bernard Ehlers, Mike Karr
Prosecution: Assistant DA Ed Parmalee; DA Bruce Thompson
Presiding Judge: Judge Ralph Neuman
Outcome: Harry Lane confessed on the witness stand to having murdered Marilyn and framed Cora.
Note: Although not technically a trial, this was the first legal proceeding presented on The Edge of Night.
The State vs. Dr. Hugh Campbell:
Date: June - August 1959
Defendant: Dr. Hugh Campbell
Charge: Murder of Mildred Dykeson Bryer
Defense Counsel: Mike Karr
Prosecution:
Outcome: Maximillian Bryer took Sara Karr hostage and confessed to the crime.
The State vs. Jack Lane:
Date: March - May 1960
Defendant: Jack Lane
Charge: Murder of Ruth Hakim
Defense Counsel: Mike Karr
Prosecution: Austin Johnson
Outcome: Case dismissed when Mike Karr proved Frank Dubeck guilty of the crime. Dubeck fell to his death from an in-flight airplane while attempting to escape prosecution.
The State vs. Judith Marceau:
Date: February - May 1961
Defendant: Judy Marceau
Charge: Murder of Victor Carlson
Defense Counsel: Mike Karr and Ed Gibson
Prosecution: DA Austin Johnson
Presiding Judge: Judge Edwards
Outcome: Case dismissed after Mike proved Teresa Vetter was the real killer.
The State vs. Louise Capice:
Date: May - July 1962
Defendant: Louise Grimsley Capice
Charge: Murder of Phil Capice (John Lambert).
Defense Counsel: Mike Karr and Ed Gibson
Prosecution: DA Austin Johnson
Outcome: Case dismissed when the real Phil Capice appeared in court and Mike proved that Scofield Killborn had murdered Phil's impostor John Lambert.
The State vs. Joe Pollock:
Date: Winter/Spring 1963
Defendant: Joe Pollock
Charge: Murder of Ted Grant
Defense Counsel: Mike Karr
Prosecution: DA Austin Johnson
Outcome: Case dismissed after Mike proved that district attorney Austin Johnson was actually guilty of the crime.
The State vs. Beth Moon:
Date: Fall 1963
Defendant:Beth Moon
Charge: Attempted murder of Vera Simms
Defense Counsel: Mike Karr
Prosecution: DA Peter Quinn
Outcome: Charges were dropped after Mike proved Professor Albert Simms was guilty of the crime.
The State vs. Winston Grimsley:
Date:Winter/Spring 1964
Defendant: Winston Grimsley
Charge: Murder of Lyn Wilkens Warren
Defense Counsel: Mike Karr
Prosecution: DA Nick Bryce
Outcome: Case dismissed when Mike proved that Emory Warren was responsible for the crime.
Note: This was the only trial not to occur in Monticello. Criminal proceedings convened in the nearby town of Lakeview, where the decedent was killed.
The State vs. Geraldine McGrath:
Date: December 1964 - February 1965
Defendant: Geraldine McGrath
Charge: Murder of David Hansen
Defense Counsel: Mike Karr and John Barnes
Prosecution:Peter Quinn
Outcome: Case dismissed after Lloyd Griffin confessed to the crime then fell to his death from a fire escape while trying to kill Bill Marceau.
The State vs. Cookie Thomas:
Date: Spring/Summer 1965
Defendant: Cookie Pollock Thomas
Charge: Murder of Malcolm Thomas
Defense Counsel: Mike Karr and John Barnes
Prosecution: DA Peter Quinn
Presiding Judge: Nelson R. Ramsey
Outcome: Case dismissed after Eve Morris confessed to the crime in open court.
The State vs. Martha Marceau:
Date: December 1966 - February 1967
Defendant: Martha Spears Marceau
Charge: Murder of Rick Oliver
Defense Counsel: Mike Karr and John Barnes
Prosecution: DA Peter Quinn
Presiding Judge: Judge Nelson R. Ramsey
Outcome: Case dismissed after Orin Hillyer read a confession from his late wife Laura in open court.
Generally at least one major criminal trial was presented each year on "The Edge of Night." Occasionally two trials would be featured; however, this usually occurred when one extended from the end of the year to the beginning of the next, and then another trial would be presented later in the year. During Henry Slesar's tenure as headwriter, the practice of yearly trials was discontinued. Slesar wanted to move the show's format away from its Perry Mason trappings to include other crime genres. As a result, some years did not contain any criminal proceedings at all. No trials were featured during the following years: 1956, 1969, 1971, 1972, 1976, 1981, 1982, and 1983.
Although the majority of trials on The Edge of Night involved murder, other types of criminal cases were presented, too. A notable exception to homicide-oriented court proceedings included the trial of Beth Moon for the attempted murder of Vera Simms (1963), while two custody trials were also televised: Serena Faraday vs. Mark Faraday (1975) and Logan Swift vs. Raven Alexander (1980).
Criminal trials on The Edge of Night usually followed a strict formula: an innocent person would be falsely accused of murder and tried for the crime, then the real killer would be tricked into making an "eleventh hour" confession either before or shortly after a verdict was rendered. One obvious departure from this formula occurred in May 1979 when Winter Austen received a "not guilty" verdict in the murder of Wade Meecham.
Trials on the series generally lasted approximately 2-3 months of airtime. The shortest trial in Edge history was The State vs. Draper Scott (1980), which began and ended in a two-week period. Several trials lasted longer than three months, two notable instances being The State vs. Julie Jamison (1968) and The State vs. Adam Drake (1973), both of which ran for four months of airtime.
It should also be noted that during Irving Vendig's association with The Edge of Night viewers always knew the killer's identity. The first actual murder mystery occurred in 1966 when Roy Cameron was found dead, having been pushed out of Phil Capice's office window. Beginning with Henry Slesar's long tenure as headwriter, most of the criminal trials presented were associated with mysteries, the real killer's identity being withheld from the audience.
The following is a list of major trials telecast during "The Edge of Night's" twenty-eight year run:
Cora Lane Pre-Trial Hearing:
Date: April-May 1957
Defendant: Cora Lane
Charge: Murder of Marilyn Bollon
Defense Counsel: Bernard Ehlers, Mike Karr
Prosecution: Assistant DA Ed Parmalee; DA Bruce Thompson
Presiding Judge: Judge Ralph Neuman
Outcome: Harry Lane confessed on the witness stand to having murdered Marilyn and framed Cora.
Note: Although not technically a trial, this was the first legal proceeding presented on The Edge of Night.
The State vs. Dr. Hugh Campbell:
Date: June - August 1959
Defendant: Dr. Hugh Campbell
Charge: Murder of Mildred Dykeson Bryer
Defense Counsel: Mike Karr
Prosecution:
Outcome: Maximillian Bryer took Sara Karr hostage and confessed to the crime.
The State vs. Jack Lane:
Date: March - May 1960
Defendant: Jack Lane
Charge: Murder of Ruth Hakim
Defense Counsel: Mike Karr
Prosecution: Austin Johnson
Outcome: Case dismissed when Mike Karr proved Frank Dubeck guilty of the crime. Dubeck fell to his death from an in-flight airplane while attempting to escape prosecution.
The State vs. Judith Marceau:
Date: February - May 1961
Defendant: Judy Marceau
Charge: Murder of Victor Carlson
Defense Counsel: Mike Karr and Ed Gibson
Prosecution: DA Austin Johnson
Presiding Judge: Judge Edwards
Outcome: Case dismissed after Mike proved Teresa Vetter was the real killer.
The State vs. Louise Capice:
Date: May - July 1962
Defendant: Louise Grimsley Capice
Charge: Murder of Phil Capice (John Lambert).
Defense Counsel: Mike Karr and Ed Gibson
Prosecution: DA Austin Johnson
Outcome: Case dismissed when the real Phil Capice appeared in court and Mike proved that Scofield Killborn had murdered Phil's impostor John Lambert.
The State vs. Joe Pollock:
Date: Winter/Spring 1963
Defendant: Joe Pollock
Charge: Murder of Ted Grant
Defense Counsel: Mike Karr
Prosecution: DA Austin Johnson
Outcome: Case dismissed after Mike proved that district attorney Austin Johnson was actually guilty of the crime.
The State vs. Beth Moon:
Date: Fall 1963
Defendant:Beth Moon
Charge: Attempted murder of Vera Simms
Defense Counsel: Mike Karr
Prosecution: DA Peter Quinn
Outcome: Charges were dropped after Mike proved Professor Albert Simms was guilty of the crime.
The State vs. Winston Grimsley:
Date:Winter/Spring 1964
Defendant: Winston Grimsley
Charge: Murder of Lyn Wilkens Warren
Defense Counsel: Mike Karr
Prosecution: DA Nick Bryce
Outcome: Case dismissed when Mike proved that Emory Warren was responsible for the crime.
Note: This was the only trial not to occur in Monticello. Criminal proceedings convened in the nearby town of Lakeview, where the decedent was killed.
The State vs. Geraldine McGrath:
Date: December 1964 - February 1965
Defendant: Geraldine McGrath
Charge: Murder of David Hansen
Defense Counsel: Mike Karr and John Barnes
Prosecution:Peter Quinn
Outcome: Case dismissed after Lloyd Griffin confessed to the crime then fell to his death from a fire escape while trying to kill Bill Marceau.
The State vs. Cookie Thomas:
Date: Spring/Summer 1965
Defendant: Cookie Pollock Thomas
Charge: Murder of Malcolm Thomas
Defense Counsel: Mike Karr and John Barnes
Prosecution: DA Peter Quinn
Presiding Judge: Nelson R. Ramsey
Outcome: Case dismissed after Eve Morris confessed to the crime in open court.
The State vs. Martha Marceau:
Date: December 1966 - February 1967
Defendant: Martha Spears Marceau
Charge: Murder of Rick Oliver
Defense Counsel: Mike Karr and John Barnes
Prosecution: DA Peter Quinn
Presiding Judge: Judge Nelson R. Ramsey
Outcome: Case dismissed after Orin Hillyer read a confession from his late wife Laura in open court.
|
In open court, Orin Hillyer (Lester Rawlins) reads his late wife Laura's handwritten confession to the murder of Rick Oliver at Martha Marceau's murder trial.
The State vs. Julie Hillyer:
Date: August - December 1968
Defendant: Julie Jamison Hillyer
Charge: Murder of Harry Constable
Defense Counsel: Adam Drake
Prosecution: DA Peter Quinn
Presiding Judge: Judge Nelson R. Ramsey
Outcome: Julie received a guilty verdict and was sentenced to be hanged the morning of December 24, 1968. Adam extracted a confession from Ernie Tuttle, who was killed in a fall at the scene of the crime. Julie's verdict was overturned, and she received a stay of execution from the governor only moments before her death sentence was to be carried out.
The State vs. Nicole Travis:
Date: July - November 1970
Defendant: Nicole Travis
Charge: Murder of Stephanie Martin
Defense Counsel: Adam Drake
Prosecution: DA Peter Quinn
Presiding Judge: Judge Barbara Curtis
Outcome: Case was dismissed after Stephanie's daughter Debbie identified Pamela Stewart as being the real killer, and Pamela confessed.
Note: This was the first trial to present a female judge, as well as a crime in which the defendant, victim, and real killer were all female.
The State vs. Adam Drake:
Date: August - December 1973
Defendant: Adam Drake
Charge: Murder of Jake Berman
Defense Counsel: Mike Karr
Prosecution: DA Peter Quinn
Presiding Judge: Judge Blackwell
Outcome: Case dismissed after Kevin Jamison proved that Joel Gantry actually committed the crime.
The State vs. Martha Marceau:
Date: December 1974 - March 1975
Defendant: Martha Marceau
Charge: Murder of Taffy Simms
Defense Counsel: Adam Drake
Prosecution: Assistant District Attorney Brandy Henderson and DA Ira Paulson
Presiding Judge: Judge Cameron Davis
Outcome: Case dismissed after Morlock Sevingy confessed to the crime and accomplice Paul Fairchild corroborated the story.Note: With this trial, Martha Marceau became the only character on The Edge of Night to be tried twice for murder.
Date: August - December 1968
Defendant: Julie Jamison Hillyer
Charge: Murder of Harry Constable
Defense Counsel: Adam Drake
Prosecution: DA Peter Quinn
Presiding Judge: Judge Nelson R. Ramsey
Outcome: Julie received a guilty verdict and was sentenced to be hanged the morning of December 24, 1968. Adam extracted a confession from Ernie Tuttle, who was killed in a fall at the scene of the crime. Julie's verdict was overturned, and she received a stay of execution from the governor only moments before her death sentence was to be carried out.
The State vs. Nicole Travis:
Date: July - November 1970
Defendant: Nicole Travis
Charge: Murder of Stephanie Martin
Defense Counsel: Adam Drake
Prosecution: DA Peter Quinn
Presiding Judge: Judge Barbara Curtis
Outcome: Case was dismissed after Stephanie's daughter Debbie identified Pamela Stewart as being the real killer, and Pamela confessed.
Note: This was the first trial to present a female judge, as well as a crime in which the defendant, victim, and real killer were all female.
The State vs. Adam Drake:
Date: August - December 1973
Defendant: Adam Drake
Charge: Murder of Jake Berman
Defense Counsel: Mike Karr
Prosecution: DA Peter Quinn
Presiding Judge: Judge Blackwell
Outcome: Case dismissed after Kevin Jamison proved that Joel Gantry actually committed the crime.
The State vs. Martha Marceau:
Date: December 1974 - March 1975
Defendant: Martha Marceau
Charge: Murder of Taffy Simms
Defense Counsel: Adam Drake
Prosecution: Assistant District Attorney Brandy Henderson and DA Ira Paulson
Presiding Judge: Judge Cameron Davis
Outcome: Case dismissed after Morlock Sevingy confessed to the crime and accomplice Paul Fairchild corroborated the story.Note: With this trial, Martha Marceau became the only character on The Edge of Night to be tried twice for murder.
Assistant D.A. Brandy Henderson (Dixie Carter) grills Nancy Karr, on the witness stand, while Judge Cameron Davis (Leon Morenzie) listens intently.
Mark Faraday vs. Serena Faraday:
Date: November 27 - December 1, 1975
Defendant: Serena Faraday
Proceeding: Battle for custody of Timmy Faraday
Counsel for Mark Faraday: Richard Jaffe
Counsel for Serena Faraday: Mike Karr
Presiding Judge: Judge Sussman
Outcome: No settlement reached. Serena reverted to split personality Josie and shot Mark to death on the courthouse steps.
Date: November 27 - December 1, 1975
Defendant: Serena Faraday
Proceeding: Battle for custody of Timmy Faraday
Counsel for Mark Faraday: Richard Jaffe
Counsel for Serena Faraday: Mike Karr
Presiding Judge: Judge Sussman
Outcome: No settlement reached. Serena reverted to split personality Josie and shot Mark to death on the courthouse steps.
Richard Jaffe (Tom Keena) questions Dr. Quentin Henderson (Michael Stroka) about Serena Faraday's alternate personality, the truculent dark-haired woman Josie.
The State vs. Serena Faraday:
Date: March - April 1976
Defendant: Serena Faraday
Charge: Murder of Mark Faraday
Defense Counsel: Adam Drake
Prosecution: DA Brandy Henderson and ADA Draper Scott
Presiding Judge: Judge P.K. Ryan
Outcome: Non-criminal resolution. Adam tricked Josie into admitting that she had been impersonating Serena. Josie confessed to the crime, and was remanded to a state psychiatric hospital, where she later died.
Date: March - April 1976
Defendant: Serena Faraday
Charge: Murder of Mark Faraday
Defense Counsel: Adam Drake
Prosecution: DA Brandy Henderson and ADA Draper Scott
Presiding Judge: Judge P.K. Ryan
Outcome: Non-criminal resolution. Adam tricked Josie into admitting that she had been impersonating Serena. Josie confessed to the crime, and was remanded to a state psychiatric hospital, where she later died.
The State vs. Michael Karr:
Date: October - November 1977
Defendant: Mike Karr
Charge: Murder of Beau Richardson
Defense Counsel: Draper Scott
Prosecution: ADA Logan Swift
Presiding Judge: Judge Harvey J. Mendelson
Outcome: Mike confessed to the crime and received a prison sentence of 2-5 years for voluntary manslaughter. Later, the confession was withdrawn after it was proven that Ray Harper fired the fatal bullet into Beau Richardson.
Note: This trial was unusual in that it did not occur until six months after the crime was committed (1 April 1977).
Date: October - November 1977
Defendant: Mike Karr
Charge: Murder of Beau Richardson
Defense Counsel: Draper Scott
Prosecution: ADA Logan Swift
Presiding Judge: Judge Harvey J. Mendelson
Outcome: Mike confessed to the crime and received a prison sentence of 2-5 years for voluntary manslaughter. Later, the confession was withdrawn after it was proven that Ray Harper fired the fatal bullet into Beau Richardson.
Note: This trial was unusual in that it did not occur until six months after the crime was committed (1 April 1977).
The State vs. April Scott:
Date: October 1978
Defendant: April Cavanaugh Scott
Charge: Murder of Denise Cavanaugh
Defense Counsel: Mike Karr and Draper Scott
Prosecution: DA Logan Swift
Presiding Judge: Judge Howard Patterson
Outcome: April received a guilty verdict and was sentenced to 25 years in Warmdale Prison. Verdict was overturned in January 1979 when Miles Cavanaugh proved that Denise's father Gus Norwood had committed a mercy killing for his dying daughter.
Date: October 1978
Defendant: April Cavanaugh Scott
Charge: Murder of Denise Cavanaugh
Defense Counsel: Mike Karr and Draper Scott
Prosecution: DA Logan Swift
Presiding Judge: Judge Howard Patterson
Outcome: April received a guilty verdict and was sentenced to 25 years in Warmdale Prison. Verdict was overturned in January 1979 when Miles Cavanaugh proved that Denise's father Gus Norwood had committed a mercy killing for his dying daughter.
The State vs. Winter Austen:
Date: April - May 1979
Defendant: Winter Austen
Charge: Murder of Wade Meecham
Defense Counsel: Draper Scott
Prosecution: DA Logan Swift and Asst. DA Cliff Nelson
Presiding Judge: Judge John Oliveri
Outcome: Winter received an acquittal from the jury, but was later killed in a fall while attempting to cover up the fact that she had indeed committed the crime.
Note: Notable as being the only time a character on The Edge of Night received a "not guilty" verdict.
Date: April - May 1979
Defendant: Winter Austen
Charge: Murder of Wade Meecham
Defense Counsel: Draper Scott
Prosecution: DA Logan Swift and Asst. DA Cliff Nelson
Presiding Judge: Judge John Oliveri
Outcome: Winter received an acquittal from the jury, but was later killed in a fall while attempting to cover up the fact that she had indeed committed the crime.
Note: Notable as being the only time a character on The Edge of Night received a "not guilty" verdict.
D.A. Logan Swift (Joe Lambie) delivers the closing summation in the trial of his ex-lover Winter Austen, accused of murdering pornographer Wade Meecham.
The State vs. Draper Scott:
Date: February 19 - March 3, 1980
Defendant: Draper Scott
Charge: Murder of Margo Dorn
Defense Counsel: Mike Karr
Prosecution: DA Logan Swift and ADA Cliff Nelson
Presiding Judge: Judge John Oliveri
Outcome: Draper received a guilty verdict and was sentenced to 18 years in Redstone Prison. After Draper was presumed dead in a train crash on the way to prison, Deborah Saxon extracted a confession from Nola Madison.
Note: This was the shortest trial ever featured on The Edge of Night. Lasting only 10 episodes of airtime, it also had the briefest elapse of time between the murder and the trial with Draper going to trial three weeks after Margo's death.
Date: February 19 - March 3, 1980
Defendant: Draper Scott
Charge: Murder of Margo Dorn
Defense Counsel: Mike Karr
Prosecution: DA Logan Swift and ADA Cliff Nelson
Presiding Judge: Judge John Oliveri
Outcome: Draper received a guilty verdict and was sentenced to 18 years in Redstone Prison. After Draper was presumed dead in a train crash on the way to prison, Deborah Saxon extracted a confession from Nola Madison.
Note: This was the shortest trial ever featured on The Edge of Night. Lasting only 10 episodes of airtime, it also had the briefest elapse of time between the murder and the trial with Draper going to trial three weeks after Margo's death.
Mike Karr (Forrest Compton) puts the screws to prosecution witness Eliot Dorn (Lee Godart), a potential suspect in the murder of Margo Huntington-Dorn.
Logan Swift vs. Raven Alexander:
Date: September 26 - October 27, 1980
Proceeding: Custody battle for minor child Jamison "Jamey" Swift.
Counsel for Raven Swift:Jason Rutledge
Counsel for Logan Swift: Cliff Nelson and Mike Karr
Presiding Judge: Judge Aaron C. Lewis
Outcome: Logan was awarded full custody after a letter written by Raven giving away rights to Jamey was found and presented to Judge Lewis.
Date: September 26 - October 27, 1980
Proceeding: Custody battle for minor child Jamison "Jamey" Swift.
Counsel for Raven Swift:Jason Rutledge
Counsel for Logan Swift: Cliff Nelson and Mike Karr
Presiding Judge: Judge Aaron C. Lewis
Outcome: Logan was awarded full custody after a letter written by Raven giving away rights to Jamey was found and presented to Judge Lewis.
Mike Karr confronts Raven (Sharon Gabet) with proof that she intended to give Jamey away, and she's forced to admit the truth in court.
The State vs. Troy Bannister:
Date: October - December 1982
Defendant: Troy Bannister
Charge: Murder of Lt. Ted Loomis
Defense Counsel: Didi Bannister and Cliff Nelson
Prosecution: DA Mike Karr
Outcome: Charges were dropped when it was proven that Troy killed Lt. Loomis in self-defense.
Note: This trial was unusual in that it was integral to storyline yet never shown onscreen.
The State vs. Raven Whitney:
Date: September - October 1984
Defendant: Raven Whitney
Charge: Murder of Logan Swift
Defense Counsel: Brian Murdock
Prosecution: DA Mike Karr
Presiding Judge: Judge William J. Trahaney
Outcome: Raven received a guilty verdict, but shortly therafter she was released when Sky proved that Geraldine had accidentally killed Logan.
Note: This was the last murder trial ever featured on The Edge of Night.