An anonymous tipster (Gene Hackman) alerts authorities. . .the media. . .the defense. . anyone, really. . .to the connection between John Cusack's character and the school shooting from 10 years before. The case is overturned. . .Cusack is potentially charged with a crime. . .and then someone can try to buy his jury.
Grisham really needs to think these things through.
Cusack couldn't have gotten on that jury unless he lied like a rug during the jury selection questioning. Finch had all that info about him and hit a blank wall about his past. That missing background should have been the focus of the questions. A brand new lawyer would have asked the prospective jurors if they, or anyone they knew, had ever been the victim of a crime involving a gun. It defies belief to suggest that never came up. Assume the high priced gun company lawyer asked the question and Cusack lied. That would get the verdict tossed PDQ.
shareyes to both of these points. But isn't there a twist in that Nick would then expose Fitch and more importantly the NRA and their funding of a jury buy? Yes the NRA didn't want to know details but the money speaks loudly.
This is exactly right. The duo had proof that Gene Hackman had bought the verdict for $15M. They were going to sit on the proof under the condition that Hackman never work in the legal system again. Yes, the case could easily have been thrown out on appeal and charges brought against John Cusack, but it would have put Hackman in trouble too.
By the way, I don't think it was the actual NRA involved. It just seemed to be partnership of five or six shady gun manufacturers.
But in Grisham's book it was a tobacco company, not a gun company. I think that changed the motive a little.
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