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: July - September 1959 Defendant: Dr. Hugh Campbell Charge: Murder of Mildred Bryer Campbell Defense Counsel: Mike Karr Prosecution: Outcome: Maximillian Bryer took Sara Karr hostage and confessed to the crime.
The State vs. Jack Lane:
Date: May - July 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-June 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: November 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. Philip Capice:
Date: Summer 1966 Defendant: Philip Capice Charge: Murder of Roy Cameron Defense Counsel: Mike Karr and John Barnes Prosecution: DA Peter Quinn Outcome: Case dismissed after Mike Karr proved that Tony Wyatt committed the crime.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The State vs. Michael Karr:
Date: September - 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 five 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.
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 received a "not guilty" verdict.
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.
Logan Swift vs. Raven Alexander:
Date: September 26 - October 27, 1980 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.
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 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 she was released after Sky proved that Geraldine had accidentally killed Logan. Note: This was the last murder trial ever featured on "The Edge of Night."
