I, the Jury

Shortly before Christmas in New York City, a killer slips into Jack Williams's apartment and shoots him to death. The murder shocks Mike Hammer, Jack's war buddy and a private investigator, who vows to avenge his friend's death. Pat Chambers, the homicide captain, cautions that the police will handle the case, but the resolve to find the killer remains strong.

Hot-headed Mike Hammer pledges to track down Jack's killer and avenge his friend's death. Pat Chambers tries to calm him and warns that the police will handle the case. To lure the killer out, Pat influences a reporter to publish an article titled 'I, the Jury' implying Mike knows the killer's identity.

Mike goes to see Myrna Devlin, a torch singer and former drug addict, but she is too distraught to talk. The personal connection underscores the high stakes and hints that Myrna may hold clues the killer would kill to protect. Her fragile state adds emotional depth to the investigation.

Velda, Mike's secretary, informs him about the article 'I, the Jury' and how it makes him a target. Mike realizes the publicity stunt may be a trap designed to pull him into the killer's sights. The warning sharpens his resolve to press on with the investigation despite the risk.

Mike travels upstate to visit George Kalecki, a wealthy fight promoter and art dealer. Kalecki introduces his live-in friend Hal Kines, whom he claims is a college student; Kalecki says they were home after the party. Mike spots Kalecki and Kines arguing through a window, hinting at a hidden conflict between them.

Mike meets Charlotte Manning, a psychoanalyst and author who treated both Jack and Myrna. She flirts with Mike but provides no new information about the case. Her presence adds layers of motive and possible influence over those connected to the victim.

Pat informs Mike that Kines moved out and now lives in the same building as Esther and Mary Bellamy. Mike begins a new round of discreet inquiries, suspecting the young man is tied to the broader network. This shift deepens the mystery around who is behind Jack's death.

While investigating Kines, Mike finds photographs of Kalecki with Kines in Europe, both before and after World War II. The images tie Kalecki to the younger man and hint at a long-standing relationship. The discovery lifts the lid on a possible jewelry racket spanning years.

Kines returns and Mike beats him up in a struggle that exposes his aggression. Upstairs, Mary Bellamy recalls Jack and Myrna's night and mentions Charlotte driving the guests home after an argument. Mike then finds Jack’s diary noting Eileen Vickers and a planned raid on a dance school.

Mike tracks down Eileen Vickers at a dance school that doubles as a prostitution front. She is shocked by Jack's death and confirms that he wanted her to seek help from Charlotte. The encounter links the dance school front to the larger racket connected to Kalecki and Kines.

Police raid the dance studio and later find Eileen’s and Kines’s bodies in Eileen’s room. Kalecki admits he and Kines argued over Esther’s involvement, deepening the sense of a cover-up. The case now centers on Kalecki and Kines as principals in the jewelry scheme Jack was pursuing.

A mysterious informant named Bobo warns Mike that 'the big man' is after him, heightening the tension. Velda hints that Kines may have served for twenty years as a student-cover for Kalecki’s operation, suggesting a long-running racket behind the scenes.

Myrna is found dead in the street, and investigators note a syringe mark on her arm, implying drug use. Pat suspects she relapsed under influence connected to Charlotte. Mike begins to suspect Charlotte murdered Myrna to take over Kalecki's business.

Mike confronts Charlotte in her apartment, accusing her of Myrna's murder. She feigns seduction but reaches for a hidden gun, prompting Mike to shoot and kill her. The confrontation brings the case to a violent close.

With Charlotte dead and Kalecki still at large, the police widen the case and discover Kalecki's safe-deposit box filled with stolen vintage European jewelry. Investigators conclude Jack had been investigating Kalecki and Kines and their long-running fencing operation. The murders are tied together through the jewel racket.