We can argue about how much of a creep Jeremy Sistow was in the movie, and some may argue how unrealistic the character was. (really? How many women are murdered each day, by a jealous husband/BF/some weird guy she met on the street???).
But the real creep was the laborer who raped and killed Adrienne Shelly, then made it look like a suicide. Special place in HELL...!
I couldn't agree more!
The evil little bastard (Diego Pillco by name) had been stalking Adrienne since he first laid eyes on her and her murder was highly-organised and premeditated, but none of that could be proved in court. The plea-bargain of Manslaughter One in March 2008 determined that Adrienne's death was the result of a opportunistic (and bungled) robbery, and that is officially the truth as far as the New York justice system is concerned.
The DA was lucky to get what he got. I'm a Brit, and in England the rules of evidence are now so tight that I doubt if the case would have even come to court. A confused and contradictory confession extracted from a teenager via a translator? A shoeprint in a bathroom from a boy who worked in the building? All without a lawyer or diplomatic representative present? The judge would have laughed the prosecutor out of court!
After all, the harrowing events depicted in the award-winning movie 'In The Name Of The Father' were based on an actual case of detectives intimidating a group of Provisional IRA suspects into confessing into a terrorist attack on a civilian target. These innocent men (who had absolutely NO connection with the Provos) served 17 years before finally being released on appeal. When they were originally convicted the judge said that he was sorry that they had not been charged with treason instead of multiple murder - because he could then have ordered them hanged!
Ever since, the cops have to be careful to 'tick every box' when they interview a suspect.