Plot

A renowned concert pianist with a disabled hand appears to commit suicide invalidating his life insurance. A fight starts over the future of his young protégé. When the suicide becomes a homicide, it is the protégé who is charged.

Internationally known concert pianist David Carpenter has a irreparably disabled hand, the result of a tragic accident, and a disastrous cash flow problem. His business manager, Andrew Collis, suggests refocusing the career of David's protégé, brilliant pianist Donna Loring, into more lucrative musical fields. That evening David's car goes over a cliff, an apparent suicide. The life insurance on Carpenter is invalidated due to him committing suicide before the policy was in effect two years leaving his business still strapped for funds. Eric Sturgis, David's partner in artists management, tries to persuade David's widow Anita to guide Donna into the field of rock-and-roll. Anita is appalled. George Worthington tells Anita that he saw David's car being pushed over the cliff, making his death a homicide. Anita and George tell Perry Mason the tale, but Lt. Tragg finds that George was at a bookie joint at the time of David's death. However, Tragg believes it was murder and arrests Donna. Anita asks Perry to defend the young pianist who initially refuses his services.—richardann

When David Carpenter's car goes over a cliff, the authorities believe the internationally renowned classical pianist killed himself. As the result of an earlier accident, he had lost the use of his left hand and had learned earlier that day that doctors held out little hope of him ever recovering its use. As well, Carpenter had become bankrupt having spent most of his money on an up and coming young pianist Donna Loring. Because his death has been ruled a suicide, the insurance company will not pay out on his policy leaving both Carpenter's wife Anita and his business manager Andrew Collis in bad financial shape. When a supposed passerby claims to have seen someone pushing the car over the cliff, the police reassess their conclusions and Donna is charged with murder. She initially refuses Anita Carpenter's suggestions that she hire Perry Mason but once bound over for trial, she seeks Perry's assistance.—garykmcd