DC’s Discernments: Objection

Happy Birthday, Erle Stanley Gardner (July 17, 1889 – March 11, 1970). An American author and lawyer best known for creating Perry Mason and, of course, the district attorney with arguably the worst record in courtroom drama history, Hamilton Burger.

Yes, DC, you’ll be pleased to know that Hamilton Burger did defeat Perry Mason in court . . . twice. That’s twice in 82 Perry Mason novels and four short stories by Erle Stanley Gardner, and 271 televised episodes of Perry Mason.

In The Case of the Terrified Typist, Hamilton Burger convinces the jury to find Perry’s client, Duane Jefferson, guilty of first-degree murder. Later, Perry proves that Burger convicted the right man, but under the wrong name.

In The Case of the Deadly Verdict, Burger accuses Janice Barton of murdering her aunt, leading a jury to sentence her to death. After the verdict, Perry continues his investigation and uncovers the true killer among the heirs.

According to Wikipedia, when asked how he felt about Burger losing to Mason week after week, William Talman, the actor who played Hamilton Burger, said, “Burger doesn’t lose. How can a district attorney lose when he fails to convict an innocent person? . . . Like any real-life district attorney, justice is Burger’s main interest.”