In Texas and Louisiana you can do that with no problem. But there are many questions about this, wouldn't her brother have called out her name, why did he go through her door he could have gone in any other door in the house, if she was so full of sleeping pills how was she alert enough to wake up and shoot him three times before he got two feet into the room, why didn't she recognize her brother before she shot him.

None of these questions bother me too much, from what I hear they had to rush these episodes to get them done and were filming more than one episode at a time. Given the brilliance of these shows I can imagine what we would have if they had time to focus on one show at a time..... I haven't read the Columbo Phile yet but I'm looking forward to it, I'll savor every word.

Good points. Presumably he chose her bedroom door because he expected her to answer it, and when she didn't, he broke into it simply because he could. She claimed that she was wakened from her pill-induced sleep by the loud alarm, and that being startled like that was why she reacted without thinking (by her account, the room was dark and presumably all she knew was that someone was there who had just broken in--she would have had no reason to think that it was her brother).

I'm jealous of you reading the Columbophile for the first time--you're going to love it, I'm sure! Savor the experience!

Everything played in her favor regarding the accident verdict. She had no history of criminal behavior, was from a good family, and brother and sister got along well by all appearances. In the courtroom, pre-makeover, she looked like a trustworthy librarian, somebody who'd never shoot their older brother on purpose. So it had to be a mistake, a tragedy instigated by a sleepy, drugged young woman after her brother clumsily lost his keys in the dark.

Well said Freddy

Although if someone had seen any reason to question him, Charles might have been able to tell them about the strain between Beth and Bryce Or at least a little about it. Though it's pretty likely he wouldn't have really wanted to, since the few times you see him he strikes you as someone who wants to mind his own business.
(I always sympathize with characters like Charles - people are always making sure I hear all about their personal lives, and everyone else's.)

True. That is a good point.

Thanks. It's fun talking Columbo.