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Samantha testifies as Quentin's trial begins with Charles serving as prosecutor.
== Synopsis ==
Teaser 
: Collinwood in the year 1840. Quentin Collins, deposed as the heir to the Collins fortune, is in jail awaiting trial on a charge of witchcraft. He is unaware that his imprisonment has been engineered by his good friend, Gerard Stiles, who has become the new master of Collinwood. And at the great house, Daphne Harridge has received another in a long series of terrifying notes, which she believes have come from her sister beyond the grave.
After finding another note from Joanna, Daphne is tormented by unseen forces. Eventually, someone opens the door at the top of the landing in the foyer, and Daphne retreats to the drawing room.
Act I
Samantha enters the drawing room and asks Daphne what's wrong; Daphne claims that she felt a presence in the house and saw a woman's cape on the floor in the foyer, but Samantha goes to look and finds nothing there. Samantha dismisses all of her claims as it just being her imagination. The two then start arguing about Daphne's performance as governess, but Samantha stops and claims that she saw someone standing outside the window. She goes to look, but no one is there. Daphne wonders what she looks like, and Samantha wonders how she knew that Samantha saw a woman outside. Samantha thinks Daphne has brought an evil spirit to Collinwood and orders her to stay away from Tad.
Desmond goes to visit Quentin at the jail and tells him the trial will start the next day. He also mentions the prosecutor has resigned. The two wonder who the new prosecutor might be, and they hope it isn't Lamar.
Back at Collinwood, Samantha finds Tad sitting the drawing room. She yells at him for still being up, but Tad says he can't sleep because he can't stop thinking about the trial that will soon be starting. Tad begs his mother to go testify on Quentin's behalf, because deep down inside she knows he is innocent.
Act II
Samantha doesn't give him an answer because she says it's "no ordinary trial." She only says that Desmond will do everything he can to help Quentin. Samantha continues to dance around Tad's questions until Desmond shows up, and Samantha tells him to go up to his room. In the drawing room, Samantha tells Desmond she wants to get Tad out of Collinwood as soon as possible because she fears his life is in danger, and having Quentin or Gerard as master of Collinwood is just "choosing between two evils." Desmond tells her to wise up and accept the fact that Quentin wouldn't harm anyone.
At the jail, Daphne confides in Quentin that she believes Joanna has returned from the grave.
Act III
Daphne explains to Quentin everything that happened at Collinwood earlier that night, and shows him the letter. She also tells him about Samantha and how she no longer wants her as Tad's governess. Quentin says if she ever has any problems to go talk to Gerard, and she reluctantly agrees.
The next morning, Quentin's witchcraft trial begins. Desmond asks for the trial to be immediately thrown out due to a lack of prosecutor, but the judge denies his request and announces a new prosecutor will be arriving shortly. The door then opens, and Charles walks in.
Act IV
Charles hands the judges his papers and promises Desmond and Quentin a fair trial. Quentin seems fine with it because he is a friend of Gerard, but Desmond wants no part of it and tells Quentin it's time for him to realize that Gerard is up to no good. The judge denies Desmond's request to have Charles removed from the court, and the trial begins. Charles gives his opening remarks, and says that the prosecution will pursue a guilty verdict and have Quentin publicly beheaded. After his remarks, Quentin tells Desmond that he wants to speak to Gerard immediately. Desmond again questions the legality of the trial. Charles is allowed to call his first witness to the stand, which was supposed to be Lamar, but now says it will be Samantha. While on the stand, Samantha claims that Quentin has been involved with the occult for as long as they have been married. As an angry Quentin looks on, Samantha claims that Quentin recently tried to communicate with a member of the dead, and the spirit is now at large on the Collins estate. Charles asks for details about the spirit, and Samantha claims it is the ghost of Joanna, and that Daphne (who is also in the courtroom) has seen her as well.
== Memorable quotes ==
: Tad: All I know and all I care about is the innocence of my father.
: _____________________________________________________________________
: Desmond: The defense now requests that it be put into the record that Amos Fuller resigned his post as county prosecutor because the very idea of these proceedings was repugnant to him. I want it known that there was at least one voice of reason in this wilderness of hysteria and fear.
== Dramatis personae ==
* John Karlen as Desmond Collins
* David Selby as Quentin Collins (1840)
* Kate Jackson as Daphne Harridge
* Virginia Vestoff as Samantha Drew Collins
* David Henesy as Tad Collins
* Humbert Allen Astredo as Charles Dawson
* John Beal as Judge Vail
* Paul Kirk Giles as 2nd Judge (uncredited)
* Carl Nicholas as 3rd Judge (uncredited)
== Background information and notes==
=== Production ===
* This episode was recorded out of broadcast sequence. The previous episode to be recorded was 1161.
* Final appearance of actor David Henesy and the character of Tad Collins. An older version of the character would appear in the audio play Speak No Evil played by Arthur Darvill.
* Closing credits scene: Prison cell at Collinsport jail.
=== Story ===
* Quentin and Samantha have been married for almost 16 years. This means they were likely both 16 or 17 years of age when they were married.
* Amos Fuller, the county prosecutor, resigned his post as he found the proceedings of Quentin's trial to be repugnant and against his beliefs.
* Before testifying in court, Samantha places her right hand on the to swear her oath to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. In American law, the left hand is placed on the Bible, the right hand held upward. 
** In 1166, Daphne likewise swears on the Bible with her right hand.
** In 1178, Lamar is shown swearing correctly, by placing his left hand on the Bible and raising his right.
* TIMELINE: Day 429 begins, and will end in 1167. It was Tuesday when the tribunal was held (occurred in 1162). It was yesterday when Amos resigned.
== Bloopers and continuity errors ==
* In Act II as Samantha and Desmond start to speak in the drawing room someone offstage says "shhh."
* As the trial begins in Act III the shadow of a boom microphone can be seen to the left of the judges as they begin to sit. 
* When the judge says, "There is indeed ample evidence...", a stagehand goes by at the edge of the set.
==External Links ==
Dark Shadows - Episode 1165 on the IMDb
Dark Shadows Every Day - Episode 1165 - In the Haze of History
== Gallery () ==
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