The past does not exist since it is already gone.
Just like the future does not exist since it is still to happen.
So only the present exist. However,
the latter can be composed of both the past and the future
since it stands at their crossing.
Sarah's mother
Her husband
Lawyer
Giorgio's father
'To my dear friend Diamante Villaroga Venosta'
Giorgio's mother
Look, it stopped raining.
Come on.
Let's go back home, before it starts raining again.
One, two, three, four...
...five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve...
- Come on, Federica. It's late. - Please! Just a moment!
Fifteen...
- Watch out for the gear shift. - Yes, I will.
- You turned on the headlights. - Sorry.
- The windshield wiper! - This car's too small.
You're right. It's stifling in here.
Gimme some air.
Stay down.
Last call for the Air France flight...
I'm here, move on!
- Look where you're going! - Forget it, he's drunk.
Then he shouldn't drink if he can't hold it!
After Rivera, Riva, Boninsegna, we would like to know from Chinaglia...
what he thinks of the attitude of football players
concerning certain union demands.
- I think it's right... - Talk to the audience.
That's something everybody's curious about.
The major part of football players earns little.
Only the most famous ones earn so much.
There's a risk for the majority to end with nothing.
The most famous players, thanks to their fame
try to protect the weakest.
I think this is laudable.
- Football's so stupid! - Sarah, don't talk with your mouth full.
The crime was discovered around 6.30 pm.
A 17 year-old girl was raped and murdered by a sexual maniac.
She was French: Françoise Pigaut.
- Oh, God. - It's your friend.
She was discovered by a seven year-old girl.
The police quickly arrived in the park which has since been closed.
The police combed the place
but, because of the rain, the murderer managed to escape.
The scientific police, called by inspector Berardi
began its investigation to identify the murderer
in spite of the rain, which washed away many evidences.
A partial reconstitution of the crime suggests that
it was committed in the middle of a small hill
and that the girl's body, stabbed several times,
fell along the slope.
Close examination of the corpse reinforces this hypothesis.
It's the print of a rubber boot.
Everybody wears rubber boots when it's raining.
Inspector, we found this record close to the books.
It's written: 'Je t'aime. Françoise' and today's date.
What is it? Battisti?
Tchaikovsky, concerto 1. Quite a good execution.
The police have very few clues:
a jackknife that seems to be the murder weapon
and a witness who saw a man escaping
climbing the surrounding wall of the park
just as the police was arriving.
It began to rain, so I went to close the window.
From there, I saw everything.
It was already dark and I was on the third floor
so I saw what was to be seen, that is, little.
He fled as if he was afraid of being pursued.
To pass over the wall that way, he must have been young.
- It's bitter. - But...
- Then? - He had a light overcoat. A light raincoat.
Well, something light. Light beige.
Is it clear?
- The prints found on the knife are quite clear. - Almost too much.
The prints are being compared with the ones we have in our files.
- I think it will be useless, judge. - Why?
To me, the murderer can be of only two kinds:
he either acted on an impulse, and is thus no recidivist.
Or he is a maniac but then,
he would have put on gloves or would have erased the prints.
They were found in the pocket and between the books of the girl.
We reconstituted the journey of the last three weeks.
None of these tickets are from this Friday afternoon.
Five knife wounds, two of which were deadly.
The first three cuts were done from bottom to top
and the last one from top to bottom, while the victim fell.
- Any traces of sperm? - No. I'd exclude carnal violence.
The victim defended herself, she scratched the aggressor.
We found human skin tissue under her nails
which only establishes that the killer is not coloured.
There's obviously mud on the girl's body.
We'd like to find out the nature of the stains on the jacket.
We are ready for the spectrographic analysis.
The stains on the jacket were caused by a plastic commonly used for car seat covers, 'vinpelle'.
The stains are recent. The cleaner handed it back in the morning.
So, let's try to reconstitute the day of the murder.
The girl surely knew the killer.
She wouldn't have left with the first man she'd meet.
- What do you think, Giudice? - I agree with you.
- Too much sugar. - But...
Maybe the girl was about to meet someone that afternoon.
The record with the dedication was obviously a present
for this person.
Let's imagine that on the way to the subway
somebody offered her a lift.
How do you know?
A school mate told me she accompanied her
to the subway station. Obviously she didn't take it,
because there's no ticket with this date in her collection.
The girl goes in the car.
It's raining all day long and her coat is wet.
So she gets stains from the seat.
- Go on. I like the way you tell it. - The man takes her to the park.
Or better, they stop and go out near the park.
Maybe she suggested it or maybe the murderer did.
So, the girl had the book and the record with her.
Since she lived 50 km in the other direction,
it first means that the present was not for the man in the car
then that she was about to leave him and that she was to meet someone else.
Otherwise, she would have left the record and the book in the car.
- How is it? - Good.
Since Françoise was early thanks to the car trip,
maybe the man offered to stay with her
until the man she waited for arrived.
No, it's too strong for me! Now, we're back to the beginning.
Is the killer the man of the car or the one she was expecting ?
One of them tried to rape her, and she defended herself.
During the fight, she lost the book and the record.
She must have threatened to denounce him.
The man felt exposed, so he took the knife
and killed her.
If the man with the car isn't the one of the rendez-vous
why didn't the innocent one come to see us afterwards?
Unless there is a third man. A maniac or something.
Then we'd need a miracle.
Not to 'chase shadows' as the papers say.
Do you want a coffee, judge?
- Hi. - Hello.
Dolly backwards. Slowly. To the sign.
Lower the boom.
- How's your hand? - Better, thanks. - See? I cured you.
- Recording. Ready, Sandro? - Yes.
- Ampex ready? - Yes.
Raul, wet his forehead.
- 3, ready. 2, ready. - Thanks.
One.
15 seconds till black.
Athletics. Discus.
A remarkable throw today broke records thanks to US star Ted Bryan...
I recognized the murdered, I know who he is! My name's Gabriella Giusti.
The inspector is at a meeting. You'll have to wait.
Wait? Why? If he just listens to me, the case is solved.
I'm bringing you the culprit and you make me wait!
- Here. - Thanks.
- How is it? - Good.
So during the crime, you were in the park with that young fellow you met,
and you saw the murdered face to face.
And for days, I've been trying to remember who that guy was.
I was sure I had seen him somewhere.
Yesterday, while at a friend's, I saw a telefilm and I recognized him.
I don't have the TV. It annoys me so much.
Are you sure you're not mistaken?
Can I call my lawyer?
Yes, it's me.
I understand.
It's a bad business but don't worry, I'll be right over.
- Coffee? - Yes, please.
- I found this. - I only like light overcoats.
Sandro feels that way too, but for now he has to wear it dark.
I sent this grey one to the cleaner's. It was all splattered with mud.
Alessandro Marchi.
Look at him!
Look at him, ladies and gentlemen of the jury!
He's accused of murdering a 17 year-old girl,
Françoise Pigaut, after attempting to rape her.
He's accused of stabbing her five times with a jackknife.
What feeling can you have for this man? Only pity.
But we're here to see that justice is done.
At least before us men if not before God!
The results of our interrogation and all the evidences
against this man are irrefutable!
I'll summarize it briefly now.
On the print of the forefinger
is a white mark revealing of a scar.
The scar is even more evident in this enlargement.
If we compare Marchi's fingerprints with those found on the knife
the similarity is unmistakable.
As has been confirmed by the scientific police.
Thus, the prints found on the knife
belong to Alessandro Marchi.
Furthermore, the seat covers of Marchi's car are made of black plastic material
and the stains on the victim's jacket are of the same nature.
Three witnesses testified that
the murderer wore a light grey topcoat.
And the accused possesses eactly the same kind of topcoat.
Which he had cleaned because it was spattered with mud.
Unfortunately, this precaution proved useless.
The quantity of mud absorbed by the jacket
was sufficient for a spectrographic analysis
which confirmed that the soil found on the tissue
is the same as the one from the park where the girl was killed.
It contains potassium, zinc, calcium and cadmium,
which permit an easy identification.
Moreover, Alessandro Marchi knew the victim very well.
Françoise Pigaut had often gone to Marchi's house
to study with Sarah Marchi,
her classmate and daughter of the defendant.
She even sometimes slept at their house.
This is another reason
why Alessandro Marchi, rejected by the girl and threatened,
decided to kill her to silence her.
And, if all this wasn't enough,
there is the testimony of Miss Giusti...
who, that afternoon, close to the scene of the crime,
recognized Alessandro Marchi as he was running away.
Marchi, who doesn't even have an alibi for that Friday.
'I was gone for a walk' he says, expecting us to believe him.
It's very rare that so much massive and convincing evidence
accumulates against a person who committed a crime.
Therefore, members of the jury, it is your duty
to condamn this man to a life sentence for this horrible,
cruel and absurd crime !
The evidences are irrefutable and all lead to one man!
They point to the culprit, to Alessandro Marchi.
The court is adjourned. It will go on tomorrow at 10.30 am.
When you were in Paris it seems time wouldn't pass.
I've loved you since I was a little girl, but you never noticed me.
That's not true.
- I remember everything about you.. -Really? -Really.
You had short hair and you going to the Suadi school.
I had long hair and I went to the Petteni one.
Of course, you had long hair and you wore them to your shoulders.
I remember very well, you looked like Lady Godiva.
I wore them in braids. My mother loved it.
-Anyhow, now we really know each other. - It's never too late.
- Listen to the echo. Sarah! - Giorgio!
Thanks for what you did.
- Why do you thank me? I told the truth. - Are you sure?
- I swore to it. - Of course.
People don't always swear the truth.
Look at this.
Thanks for coming, your mother wanted you here very much.
Our family motto reads: 'Born a bastard to become a king'.
I won't have a chance to become a king.
But I didn't have the chance to be born a bastard either.
- No offence, dad. - Giorgio, do you offer me a drink?
If you want...
It's nice here, well arranged.
You started working on the difficult things.
- I suppose you came to preach again. - Sorry.
It's not your fault. I've always been at the top of the class.
Times have changed.
When I was your age, places like this were the servants' quarters.
Today they are youthful protestants' with bank accounts.
The older getting sharper everyday!
Only I don't ask for anything of yours.
To me, they don't exist and that bothers you.
Sure, but the money your uncle Giorgio gave you
is a reality to you, just as mine is to me.
That's true. That conditions me.
But afterall, what does it change?
I'd be conditioned anyway, one way or the other.
The concept's the same, though.
Everything that surrounds me, that you made me discover,
makes me feel sick and useless.
In other words, it's all shit!
The language is colourful but the sense is right.
For a common man, you have everything.
But in reality, you're desperate
and you can't do anything to release your anguish.
Another whisky?
Yes.
Don't worry. I'll bring that up.
We already agreed on that.
I know. You'll see, everything will be fine.
Bye.
We'll now examine the different points of the accusation.
It was proven that the fingerprints found on the knife
and those of Alessandro Marchi are the same.
No one can deny it.
But let's not forget what the accused declared under oath.
Yes, it was my knife but it got stolen from my car
along with a leather bag and a radio two weeks earlier.
If you remember correctly, I called your attention
to a detail of great interest, in my opinion.
Which our prosecutors here chose to ignore.
There is another set of prints superimposed over those of the accused
which according to experts were caused by leather gloves.
It is obvious that if the murderer used leather gloves
we would have only found the prints of the accused.
As for the dark stains on the jacket,
I would like to quote a report from the Ministry of Transport.
28% of Italian cars have dark 'vinpelle' seat covers.
Thus in Lombardy alone there are... I want to be precise.
There are 326.507 cars with this type of seat cover.
A number that justifies the inconvenients over the traffic we all know about.
But let's proceed with the key points
which the prosecution has declared crushing and definitive.
The fact that a man on a 3rd floor window saw a man
with a light overcoat climbing up the wall of the park
can't even be taken into consideration.
We all know parks are full of voyeurs, thieves, homosexuals, bad people.
People who have to leave as soon as they hear the police coming.
On the other hand, the defense presented witnesses
who have also seen someone.
Someone totally different from Alessandro Marchi.
I was passing in the park on my way to meet some friends.
Suddenly I heard the sirens of the police going to the main gate.
I was at the southern gate.
So I entered the park out of curiosity.
I wanted to see what had happened. It was raining heavily.
A yound man with blond hair in a blue raincoat
literally ran into me.
He looked upset and was obviously running from something.
He got into a dark green car and drove off.
- Thanks for what you did. - Why? It was the truth.
And now we come to the mud splattered topcoat.
A report, which I now add to the others, has established
that lands surrounding big industries
often contain various amounts of potassium, zinc, calcium and cadmium.
Therefore the declaration of the accused
about how his topcoat got splattered
close to an industrial zone
is quite credible, like you can observe.
As for the key testimony of the prosecution, Mrs...
I mean Miss Giusti,
I think I already demonstrated her incredibility.
- With your permission, your Honor. - Proceed.
Will you please remove the makeup from the corner of your eye.
There's a trace of glasses, Miss.
Yes, there is. Sometimes I wear some.
I'm a little shortsighted and contact lenses hurt my eyes.
Had you ever met the accused personally before the trial?
- No, never. - No?
Then you didn't know that he wore a toupee on television.
No. But that day in the park he was wearing a hat pulled down low.
You can't see a toupee through a hat.
But that Friday in the park, through the twilight,
without her glasses on - for obvious reasons -
she was able to see a man, with his hat pulled down low,
and recognize him as the accused.
Yes, that's him!
I already mentioned that I conducted some tests
in the presence of inspector Berardi and the examining magistrate
to prove the credibility off Miss Giusti's testimony,
which identifies Alessandro Marchi as the man she saw on April 26th
running after killing Françoise Pigaut.
During the ten tests we made,
the witness recognized the accused three times,
was uncertain three times and was wrong four times.
At this point, it seems clear
that the evidences of the prosecution collapse!
Or at the very least, create great doubts in your mind.
I know, there still remain one obscure point.
You're wondering: where was Alessandro Marchi that Friday?
I can prove that my client has a strong alibi.
And for that reason, I want to interrogate Anna Bellini.
I object! This procedure is highly irregular!
Isn't it a bit strange that it is only now that Mr Marchi tells us where he was?
An innocent man always hopes that he won't have to reveal facts
that might compromise him!
And Alessandro Marchi is innocent!
Your Honor, the accused tried till the end
to protect his position and the honor of his family.
And this is no crime!
The Court is retiring to consult all the news elements of the defence.
Poor father. He's the only person who truly loves me.
- Give me a cigarette, please. - Where are they? - On the table.
Who knows how this is gonna end? Maybe they'll convict him.
- You came here to avoid thinking about it, right? - You're right.
It's strange I'm the one now who needs something or someone.
- Aren't you looking for a justification? - I don't think so.
All right, I'll put on a record.
Françoise had everyhing
like this security I don't have.
She was in love too.
He was from here but she never introduced him to me.
She never wanted to talk about it.
As if she was afraid to make any publicity of it.
They had met in France last year.
Giorgio!
When did you see Mr Marchi for the last time?
On Friday. The day the French girl was killed.
Our records show the date exactly.
- Can you cover yourself, please? - Oh, sure. - It's all right.
What did he buy in your lingerie shop?
He bought a negligé in black silk voile.
I offered a white one, but he preferred it black.
Do you remember what size it was?
- Forty-four. - Do you know what size your wife uses, Mr Marchi?
Who did you buy it for? Will you tell us?
Considering the accused's reluctance to answer,
I see no need to extent this trial as the defense requested.
Sandro, it's time to tell us what you did that afternoon.
You can't let everyone,
especially your wife, believe you're a murderer.
- You have to talk. - You're right, Giulio.
That Friday,
like every Friday, I went to see Marta Clerici.
I arrived at her place around 3pm, 3.30pm at the latest.
I had brought her a present, the negligé.
She had drunk too much, as usual.
- Won't you open it? - I will, but later on.
This way, I'll think about you when you're not here. God, I was drunk last night!
The glass broke and she cut her hand.
She bled a lot.
- I remember it very well. - So that's how you got blood on your shirt!
"Marta Clerici. Profession: good for nothing."
"Alone, rich and free."
She can be anywhere any of her rich friends invited her.
She started from nothing.
She still owes me 4500 lira, but I don't worry about her.
When did you bring her milk and the paper for the last time?
I can tell you precisely, I take note of everything.
Wednesday, Thursday, Friday...
Here it is: Friday 26th of April.
- Thank you. That's what I wanted to know. - Inspector, wait a moment.
The next morning, the milk and paper were still outside.
So she must have left the day before. On Thursday.
How did you find the shirt after so much time?
His wife hadn't thrown it away nor had she brought it to the cleaner's.
It was locked in a bureau drawer. She probably forgot about it.
- It reacts to this. - So?
Group B. Negative rhesus. The same group as Françoise Pigaut.
Be aware of the responsability you assume under oath
swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.
- Do you so swear? - I swear.
- With your permission, your Honor. - Proceed.
Mrs Marchi, is it true that on the evening of April 26th
your husband came home with his shirt splattered with blood,
and told you it came from helping an operator at the studio?
- I don't remember. - But this shirt belong to your husband, right?
- I don't know... - Didn't you hide it when the police came for the first search?
- Or are you telling that the shirt does not belong to anyone in your family? - I ...
On the shirt are the initials A.M, as in Alessandro Marchi!
And the blood is of the same group as that of Françoise Pigaut.
Will you tell me what you know?
Your silence is more eloquent than any reply.
Alessandro Marchi sentenced for life
- Give me 'La Notte', please. - Here, Sir
- Finally free and together. - Yes, but I wish we could have done it another way.
What do you mean? No way could be better for us.
We should send a letter of thanks to the prosecutor!
Even if I did lose the case it's not my fault.
And I suddenly became a great lawyer and you're with me now.
- If I hadn't kept that shirt... - So what!
We would have had to see each other in secret and the murderer would still be free.
Don't say that, I still can't believe that Sandro...
Sandro. Sandro, Sandro, Sandro...
- No, there's too much light. - I like to see you when we make love.
- You scared me. - There's no need to be afraid.
- It's late, I have to go. - Maybe we shouldn't see each other for a while.
You have someone else, haven't you?
I'll call you, ok?
Sarah.
I'd like to know where she was all night.
Every day she's getting cuter...
- What do you mean? You like young girls? - No.
I wonder how she'll take it when she knows about us.
I don't want to think about it. I'm so happy now.
I love your mouth.
I have to go. It's late and I have to be up at the crack of dawn tomorrow.
I have to be in court at 8.00am.
- Good evening, Sir. - Fill it up. - Sure.
There was another one.
Loredana Minucci, prostitute, 26. Stabbed five times.
Two fatal wounds. No prints on the knife.
What a case.
It was foreseeable. It looks just like Françoise Pigaut's murder.
What about this? 'An innocent is in jail'?
That guy murders a hooker, you murder a schoolgirl.
Let me tell you: long live the fags, at least they don't kill anybody.
Leave it.
But... why are you hitting me? Are you crazy?
- A single joke and you beat me! - What happened?
Why are you fighting?
This time, my father couldn't have killed this whore.
- Sarah! - What? Because I said 'whore'?
- Or because dad might be innocent? - What are you saying?
You look happy that he's in jail.
Do you think it's easy to have been cheated on for so long
by a man you gave everything?
How well said.
Hello? Giorgio?
No! The prostitue was killed by a deliquent without fantasy!
But the knife is the same as the one that killed Pigaut.
- Even the scene is the same. - Why couldn't it be?
In theory it could be.
But there is a crucial difference between the two crimes.
- It's getting cold. - Excuse me.
- It's freezing. - That's what I said. - Let sum it up.
The first one was a respectable girl, the other one a prostitute.
In the first case, the motice could have been sexual
but not in the second one.
One only has to pay to get such a woman. No need to murder her.
How is the investigation going, inspector?
The last people who saw her were two of her co-workers.
Minucci left
with the excuse of having a date on which she wouldn't say more.
The two girls also declared
that a car followed that of Minucci.
But they don't know whether it was a coincidence or not.
Please, Giulio, get me out of here.
I'm doing all I can to speed up your appeal.
- You need time, you know. - I don't know if I can face it for long.
- It is so incredible. - Be strong. It's gonna be all right.
You have to sign this.
Hello, Sir.
It took no less than your birthday to have you with us!
How are your studies going?
- Mother, I stopped school two years ago. - Really.
Maybe it will do you good to go away for a while.
I found this type of provincial life saddening.
Especially to you, young people.
You could go back to France, to Paris.
You lived there for a long time, you might meet some old friends!
Look, the sweetness of being a child.
Congratulations.
Inspector, there's a guy on line 2 who wants to talk to you.
He disguised his voice. He said he killed the two girls.
- Try to locate the call. - We already thought of that.
Inspector Berardi. Who is this?
A fool, inspector...
A bigger fool than you all...
I already did it and I 'll do it again.
I'll kill again inspector. I'll kill again and soon.
Hello? Hello?
He didn't speak long enough. We couldn't trace him.
It's incredible.
But it might happen again.
We can't patrol that park day and night!
We have one evidence: the prints on the knife.
- Anything new? - We visited every shop selling weapons.
We hope they'll let us know.
Giulio!
Giulio.
Leave me alone.
Stop it! Leave me alone!
Let go of me!
Stop it!
No! Let go of me!
Hello, Maria. I was helping Sarah to study. Right, Sarah?
Maria. Don't make a fuss about it.
You think you can always take what you want !
You like something and you take it regardless of who you might hurt !
- You're beautiful when you're angry. - But Sarah is even more beautiful and younger.
You're getting older and you prefer them young now!
Every man loves young girls, they're so adorable.
The love of a child is vital.
What do you want? Convince me that once again you're right?
- You're good at convincing people. - I'm a very good lawyer.
Giulio, why are you like this?
Let's go on the bridge!
I'm first!
Come on, let's sit here.
Do you know where babies come from? I'll tell you.
No!
No! It's always the same!
- Hello. - Hello.
- No! - Come on! - No. First you have to marry me.
Arrival of flight AZ 412
from Singapore, Bangkok, Teheran, Roma.
Passengers can get their luggage back on platform n°4.
I asked the Court to reopen the file
under article 520 of the Penal Code
to examine the testimony of Marta Clerici
who couldn't appear before because she was away from Italy.
Do you remember seeing Alessandro Marchi on Friday 26th of April?
Sure. Sandro Marchi was with me, like every Friday by the way.
He helped me bandage my hand then we made love.
- Did you hurt yourself? - No, you hurt me.
Oh, there's blood on your shirt.
I got a surprise for you.
Hi.
Did he stay all day?
Yes, all day.
- Are you sure? - I have a good memory.
What is your blood group?
The limited pourcentage of blood that I have in my whisky
must be of group B, negative rhesus.
Can you give me the wine, please? Thanks.
- Why aren't you eating Sarah? - I'm not hungry. - Come on, eat.
Yes, father.
Excuse me but I have to go. I have an appointement and it's late.
Goodbye.
- Here is it: sweet and strong. - Let's hope so.
What is it? You're still not convinced that's Marchi's innocent?
- Sure, I am. - Then what?
Sweet, strong and boiling hot!
- Yes? - The lady from the shop is here.
I'll be right up. You're coming with me.
- I sold two of these knife to the same person. - Do you know who he is?
Yes I do. He lives near me.
This way inspector!
You go this way and you come with me.
Ring the bell.
Madam, did someone just enter the courtyard?
- No. The gate is closed. - Can we have a look?
- I'll call my husband. - We're from the police.
I'll call my husband anyway.
- Is Giulio coming for diner tonight? - No, he can't.
Well, maybe for once he has something to do.
Leave it, I'll answer.
Yes? It's me.
But that's crazy.
But...
Yes. All right.
No need to repeat it.
Yes, I know where it is. I'll be there in half an hour.
I knew you would come.
- Now, say that you're a murderer. - I'm a murderer.
- Louder. - I'm a murderer!
I killed twice to get you free, and now you're here with me.
I saw you run away. I only understood why afterwards.
Françoise was mine. And you killed her.
Why did you do it? How could you?
Let me go! I'll tell everyone. I'll tell your wife Sarah!
I'll tell everyone! Let me go! Let me go!
I couldn't stand it anymore. I had to make her stop.
I wanted her to stop screaming.