A Time To Kill Synopsis
-
- Scene Analysis From Last Life In The Universe - fantasies and wondering what comes next - a topic he has evidently dwelt upon for quite some...
-
- West Memphis Three - he was on his last nerve, and just stated what the police wanted to hear. (www.wm3.org, Sauls...
-
- Kurt Vonnegut, Slaughterhouse Five - feel that religion is a force for good. In fact, he feels the Gospels teach that if you are going...
Submitted by freefortermpapers on 06/24/2008 03:00 PM
- Category: History Other
- Words: 1162
- Pages: 5
- Views: 18
- Popularity Rank: 857
A Time To Kill Synopsis
The daughter of Carl Lee Hailey, Tanya, a 10-year-old girl was raped and beaten by two racist thugs on a drunken spree. The two men who attacked her have been apprehended, but are likely to be set free. Carl Lee was a Vietnam vet and has an access to a M-16 and was faced with a dilemma whether to just sit by and hope that the fickle American courts decide the issue based on who has the best lawyer, or take decisive action now. Taking the law into his own hands, Carl Lee guns down the pair in front of dozens of witnesses in the Canton, Mississippi courthouse. In the process, he also seriously injures a local deputy. He is arrested for the double murder, and faces trial. But can a black man get a fair trial after murdering two white men, even in the "new" South? He chooses a local white lawyer, up-and-coming hotshot Jake Brigance. With a team that includes a sleazy divorce specialist, Harry Rex Vonner, an energetic assistant, Ellen Roarke, and his old mentor, Lucien Wilbanks. Carl Lee hires Jake because Jake is white. "You see me as they see me," he tells the attorney. "If you was on that jury, what would it take for you to set me free?" When the KKK become involved, Jake discovers that his life, and the lives of everyone close to him, including his wife and daughter, is in danger. So he is faced with a dilemma whether to continue the case or not because if he quits, a black man will die and if he does continues, his own life and the safety of his family and colleagues have become increasingly jeopardized. The "white" jury for the trial faces a moral dilemma whether to free a guilty "black" man or not in the given situation. The judge also faces a moral dilemma whether to let the trial be fair for everyone or be biased because of racism. Ellen Roarke faces a moral dilemma whether to cheat or not because on the last day of the trial, she couldn't think of anything to counter-act the District Attorney's plead. She goes through the files of the state doctor to find...
You must Login to view the entire paper.
If you are not a member yet, Sign Up for free!
