The Judgment: Part 1

A seedy bar has been torn up and police arrest a knife wielding man in the back alley. It is Fred Johnson (Bill Raisch) and his arrest makes national news. When Kimble learns of it he hitches a ride to LA on an interstate truck.

But using the arrest to smoke out Kimble is Gerard, and court stenographer Jean Carlisle (Diane Baker), a family friend who is attracted to Richard, spots Gerard and phones Donna Taft. Through Donna she is able to track down Kimble where he was dropped off at s produce market and help him escape police.

Knowing Kimble is in LA Gerard gets an FBI kickback on Johnson’s fingerprints and when he questions him Johnson’s answers become contradictory. Gerard is able to place Johnson at at electronics firm just 75 miles from Stafford, IN two weeks before Helen Kimble’s murder and Johnson’s evasiveness plants greater uncertainty about Kimble’s guilt, uncertainty that has always dogged Gerard, to where he momentarily loses his composure and is stopped by LA police Captain Ralph Lee (Joseph Campanella).

Through a news interview Gerard is able to request Kimble turn himself in, and Jean agrees to see that Gerard is telling the truth about Johnson. She finds more than she bargained for as a seedy bail bondsman, Art Howe (Michael Constantine), has bailed out Johnson. She intercepts Richard again and they tail Johnson and Howe - as do police.

Howe for his part is suspicious, for his client has offered more money directly for Johnson to jump bail. Realizing he can blackmail more out of the client, Howe agrees to bring Johnson to his office that night. There Johnson claims to have seen who killed Helen Kimble.

Jean evades the police tail on Howe and sneaks Kimble to Howe’s office - but the place has been robbed and Howe is dead. Clearly Johnson discovered Howe’s client, killed him, then took his money. A search of the office finds a bail receipt.......indicating Johnson was bailed by Leonard Taft, Kimble’s brother in law.

This news devastates Kimble enough that though he arranges with Jean for them to sneak out of LA separately for Stafford IN he is caught by Gerard and makes no attempt to escape. Kimble and Gerard now are on an eastbound train for Stafford - but there is one final secret that ensures the appointment with execution is one Kimble will never meet.

"" is the first part of the series finale of.