| Standing Eight Count | |
| Season 02, Episode 12 | |
| Air Date | December 9, 1994 |
| Previous | Death By Extermination |
| Next | The Bela Lugosi Blues |
Standing Eight Count is the twelfth episode of Diagnosis Murder's second season which was first broadcast on December 9, 1994.
Plot[]
Boxer Tommy Bracket is found dead after knocking out champion Mercury Jones and refusing a rematch. Evidence points to Mercury as the killer, but Mark finds that his wife, a corrupt promoter, and a bankrupt gym owner also have motives.
Summary[]
Jack's boxing hero Mercury 'The Heat' Jones is held in observation at Community General with serious injuries, after a KO title loss instead of the 50th victory he'd hoped to retire after - his wife Brianna wants him to stop anyway. Worse, his adversary Tommy Brackett is diagnosed with an irregular heart beat, (no more fighting ever), so he refuses a furious Jones a rematch. Brackett is found dead - smothered the next morning next to Mercury's hospital ID bracelet. Jack learns from neighborhood friend Marco (who lost big betting on the fight) and joins as "Animal" - (an unwilling sparring partner at Tommy's ex-trainer Butch Reilly's gym) to search Brackett's locker and office, confirming it was already deep in debt and facing bankruptcy, as Steve already knew, but also a check indicating promoter Wayne Topping bought the fight. Then a witness turns up who saw Brianna entering Tommy's room, and a rented doctor's jacket. Yet the hospital sleuths still have to find another suspect.