The Adventures of Philip Marlowe - The Eager Witness

Hey! I'd love to hear your thoughts, send me a voice note.Philip Marlowe, Private Detective, is in the courtroom, awaiting his turn to testify for the prosecution in the trial of Earl Jernigan, accused of the first degree murder of a kindly gray-haired horse trainer named Kurt Harper. Jernigan, a gambler and sometimes bookie, had often been arrested for various offenses, but never convicted. It is the afternoon of the fourth day of the trial, and the prosecutor for the state had already built an almost airtight case against the alleged gambler when Marlowe's turn finally came. The bailiff announces "Will Mr. Phillip Marlowe take the stand?" After he is sworn in, the Prosecutor says "Mr. Marlowe, on the morning of the 30th day of July last, the day on which the late Kurt Harper was murdered, were you hired as a private detective by the said Mr. Harper?" Marlowe says "I was". The Prosecutor asks "And at that time, Mr. Marlowe, did Mr. Harper state his reason for hiring you?" Marlowe says "He did. He wanted me to act as his personal bodyguard on the following day when he planned to drive to San Francisco". The Prosecutor asks "Did he say why he needed a personal bodyguard?" Marlowe says "He did. He told me he was afraid for his life. He refused a gambler's demand that he drug a certain racehorse a week earlier, and that gambler had threatened to kill him". The Prosecutor says " I see. Now, Mr. Marlowe, did Mr. Harper name that gambler?" Marlowe says "Yes, he did. He named Earl Jernigan". The Prosecutor says "Thank you. No further questions". At that point, the judge calls for the Defense, who says "The Council for the Defense waves cross-examination, your honor". The judge says "The witness is excused". To Marlowe, this didn't make sense. No cross-examination. Jernigan's attorney must have something up his legal sleeve.