Public Defender - Volume 5

Reed Hadley is Bart Matthews, your Public Defender, in this series of law and order dramas that ran on CBS from 1954 to 1955. At the time of the show's creation (by Mort Lewis and Sam Shayon), the concept of the public defender was little known throughout much of the United States. Stories were purportedly based on true cases, and each episode ends with a salute to a working public defender.

Bart Matthews (Hadley) takes on clients that cannot afford expensive legal counsel. Young or old, innocent or guilty, the law comes first for the stoic and driven public defender. Hadley previously starred in the television series "Racket Squad" (1953-1954) and is fondly remembered for playing the title role in the action-packed Republic serial Zorro's Fighting Legion (1939).

Destiny: An innocent boy is accused of severely beating a popular candy store owner.

Clifford Pike: Matthews must defend a deranged man who is accused of arson and murder.

Jackpot: A beautiful reporter risks her life to help bring a syndicate kingpin to justice.

Think No Evil: A man is arrested for armed robbery despite evidence that he was out of town when the crime was committed.

• television