Preview

law abiding citizen

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
973 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
law abiding citizen
Law Abiding Citizen is a 2009 American thriller film directed by F. Gary Gray from a screenplay written by Kurt Wimmer and stars Jamie Foxx and Gerard Butler. The film takes place in Philadelphia and tells the story of a man driven to commit multiple murders while targeting not only his family 's killer but also a corrupt criminal justice system. Law Abiding Citizen was released theatrically in North America on October 16, 2009.[3]
The film was nominated for a Saturn Award as the Best Action/Adventure/Thriller Film of the year, but lost to Inglourious Basterds, and the film also garnered NAACP Image Awards nominations for both Jamie Foxx (Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture) and F. Gary Gray (Outstanding Directing in a Motion Picture).[4]
Contents
[hide]
1 Plot
2 Cast
3 Production
4 Soundtrack
5 Release
6 Reception
7 See also
8 References
9 External links
Plot[edit]
In a 1999 Philadelphia home invasion, Clarence James Darby (Christian Stolte) and his accomplice Rupert Ames (Josh Stewart) kill the wife and daughter of Clyde Alexander Shelton (Gerard Butler) before his eyes. Prosecutor Nick Rice (Jamie Foxx) is unable to use DNA hard evidence to securely convict both accused. Unwilling to take a chance on lowering his high conviction rate, he makes a deal with Darby, letting him plead guilty to a lesser charge and receive a reduced sentence in return for testifying against Ames. Ames is found guilty and is sentenced to death. Darby is released after a few years. Shelton feels betrayed by Rice 's actions and by the justice system in general.
Ten years later, Ames 's time on death row is up. Unknown to the prosecutors and the witnesses, the cardiotoxic drug usually used in executions has been replaced with ananticonvulsant, causing Ames to die an extremely painful death. Evidence relating to tampering with the drug implicates Darby. An anonymous caller alerts Darby as the police draw near, and directs him to a remote location. Shelton, disguised as



References: 9 External links Plot[edit] In a 1999 Philadelphia home invasion, Clarence James Darby (Christian Stolte) and his accomplice Rupert Ames (Josh Stewart) kill the wife and daughter of Clyde Alexander Shelton (Gerard Butler) before his eyes. Prosecutor Nick Rice (Jamie Foxx) is unable to use DNA hard evidence to securely convict both accused. Unwilling to take a chance on lowering his high conviction rate, he makes a deal with Darby, letting him plead guilty to a lesser charge and receive a reduced sentence in return for testifying against Ames. Ames is found guilty and is sentenced to death. Darby is released after a few years. Shelton feels betrayed by Rice 's actions and by the justice system in general. Ten years later, Ames 's time on death row is up. Unknown to the prosecutors and the witnesses, the cardiotoxic drug usually used in executions has been replaced with ananticonvulsant, causing Ames to die an extremely painful death. Evidence relating to tampering with the drug implicates Darby. An anonymous caller alerts Darby as the police draw near, and directs him to a remote location. Shelton, disguised as a cop, reveals himself as the caller and paralyzes Darby with puffer fish venom. He straps Darby to a table and slowly dismembers him as revenge for murdering his wife and daughter, videorecording the gory proceedings. When Darby 's remains are found, circumstantial evidence tentatively ties his death to Shelton. Despite knowing the evidence is weak, Shelton surrenders himself into police custody, where he points out the flaws in Rice 's case against him. As he leaves the interrogation room, Rice receives a phone call from his wife, and learns that Shelton had sent a copy of the Snuff film of Darby 's demise to his house, traumatising his daughter. He initially refuses to bargain with Shelton in order to get a confession. But District Attorney Jonas Cantrell (Bruce McGill) orders Rice to make a deal. In court, Shelton represents himself. He successfully argues that he should be granted bail, then berates the judge for accepting the "bullshit" legal precedents he himself cited and for being too eager to let madmen and murderers back on the street. The judge jails Shelton for contempt of court. Shelton demands a porterhouse steak lunch be delivered to his cell by a specific time, in return for telling where to find Darby 's lawyer, who was reported missing three days earlier. Rice agrees, though the lunch is delayed by a few minutes due to the warden 's pedantic security measures. Once he has his meal, Shelton provides a set of coordinates, where Rice and the others find Darby 's lawyer, buried alive but suffocated when his air supply ran out while Shelton 's lunch was being delayed. Shelton kills his cellmate using the steak 's bone, forcing the warden to secure him in solitary confinement. Cantrell arranges a meeting with a CIA contact and brings Rice. They learn that Shelton has previously worked with the agency, creating devices to assassinate people in imaginative ways, such as a necktie that kept getting tighter when it was tied, thus strangling the victim. Further, they are warned that Shelton is capable of killing anyone he wishes. During a meeting with Rice and Cantrell, the judge is killed when she answers her cell phone and it explodes. A number of Rice 's assistants are killed by car bombs, one of them Sarah Lowell (Leslie Bibb). As Rice and Cantrell leave the funeral of Lowell, Cantrell is killed by a weaponized bomb disposal robot. The mayor (Viola Davis) puts the city under lockdown and promotes Rice to acting District Attorney. Rice learns that Shelton owns an auto garage next to the prison. A tunnel from the garage leads to a cache of guns, disguises, and other equipment below the solitary confinement cells, and secret entrances to each cell. He and Police Detective Dunnigan (Colm Meaney) realize Shelton wanted to be in solitary, allowing him to easily leave the prison without detection and commit the murders. Evidence in the tunnel points Rice to Shelton 's next target, city hall, where the mayor is holding an emergency meeting with city officials. Rice and his men cannot find Shelton, but discover evidence pointing to a cell-phone-activated suitcase bomb in the room directly below the meeting. Shelton returns to his garage after planting the city hall bomb, then returns to his cell. He is surprised to find Rice waiting for him. Rice berates Shelton for taking revenge because of the pain he suffered. Shelton suggests another deal, but Rice refuses this time, saying that he does not make deals with murderers anymore, and thanks Shelton for teaching him that. Rice and Dunnigan secure Shelton in the cell and leave. Despite being pleased that Rice had finally learned his lesson, Shelton dials the cell phone on the city hall bomb. Shelton realizes too late that Rice has moved the bomb to his cell and the cell 's entrance to the tunnel has been sealed. Shelton looks upon his daughter 's bracelet with a sense of sadness, accepting his fate as the bomb explodes

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    The Verdict Ethics

    • 1288 Words
    • 6 Pages

    “The Verdict” is a movie that deals with medical and legal ethics. Frank Gavin is an alcoholic who hasn’t won any of his cases in the past three years. Mickey, his former partner, gives him a medical malpractice case that is sure to settle for a large amount of money. The case of Deborah Ann Kay, a mother who was given anesthetic when she had just eaten inhaled her vomit and is now in a coma. The Donaheys, her sister and brother in law are hoping for a good settlement and Frank assures them that they have a strong case. While the case is going on he meets Laura, a woman at a bar who he falls in love with. Frank goes to visit Deborah Ann Kay in the hospital and is affected by her condition. He meets with the defendants who run the Catholic hospital where the incident happened. The defendants offer $210,000 to settle out of court but Frank declines. Frank feels this is his chance to do something right. Everyone was not happy with Frank declining the settlement. A lot of things start to go wrong for Frank in the case: the brother in law finds out how much the settlement was and how he denied it, his expert medical witness disappears, his substitute witness testimony is questioned, the defendant attorney Concannon has an expert legal team, and the Judge favors Concannon. Mickey finds out Laura is a spy for the opposing side and Frank punches her in the face. Frank then finds Kaitlin Costello Pryce, a nurse that was asked to change her notes on the admittance form after the incident to hide Dr. Towler’s error. Deborah Ann Kay had eaten 1 hour before admittance and no anesthetic is supposed to be given if so. Even though the testimony is not supposed to be used because of legal technicalities it stuns the courtroom. Frank then tells the jury a closing statement about justice and truth. Frank wins the case and the jury wants to increase the award.…

    • 1288 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    After calling her a few times then touching her Linda realized Melissa was dead. Linda tried to resuscitate her and after a few failed attempts, Linda ran to the neighbors house to call 911. The police arrived shortly after, there was no sign of forced entry. Detective Michael Lynn saw a strange mark on Melissa’s neck, he also found a broken headphone cord in the master bed room. Forensic pathologist Dr. Choi determined from the autopsy that Melissa died of asphyxiation due to strangulation. At around 4:30 pm detective Glenn Stotz began to canvass the neighborhood to see if anyone heard or saw anything. The first house the detective went to was of defendant Linton. Linton was hired a few months back to watch the Middleton’s pets while they went on vacation. According to the Middleton’s they never got their keys back to the house. Linton told the detective that he had been home all day but did not hear or see anything out of the ordinary. Linton told the detective that he did not know Melissa very well, but that she was good friends with his little sister. Detectives later went back to Linton’s house where he and his sister both answered the front door. Detectives just wanted to confirm that Linton did not know…

    • 653 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Upon the police cruiser arrival to the home they see Ferrell and by pass the home, going towards Ferrell. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Officers Thornell Little, Adam Neal and Randall Kerrick exit their cars Farrell sees the Police and start walking towards them for help.…

    • 2569 Words
    • 11 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Darryl Hunt worked at a local news department in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. On April 10, 1984, Deborah Sykes was found killed and raped. Deborah Sykes was a co worker of Darryl Hunt’s, he claimed they had never talked really while he had worked there. The man who found her dead, called 911 and introduced himself as Sammy Mitchell, although the man was actually John Gray( Innocent Project). The police questioned John Gray and had him do a line up, to find the man he saw with Deborah Sykes. At first John identified a man who was in jail at the time, which police knew the man could not of done it for he was behind bars.( Innocent Project).…

    • 791 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Clarence Earl Gideon was a man that was wrongfully convicted of a crime. Clarence had a bad background prior to the trial. His record prior was that he had felonies, and he was in jail for four times already, and he ran away from home, and was found with some stolen clothes on. His background didn’t make it easy for him to be found guilty. Gideon was accused of stealing wine, beer, money, and Coca Cola from the pool room. The charges that were brought to him was Petty theft. The evidence the state used against him was that he was seen by a witness breaking into the pool room. The sentencing that Gideon got was 5 years in a working prison. Gideon’s first trial was not in his favor, because he did not have a lawyer defending him, and he didn’t…

    • 397 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    3. Hurst had bound, gagged, and then stabbed his coworker over 60 times during a robbery at his place of employment. Her body was found in the freezer and the safe opened and missing hundreds of dollars. Witnesses came forth and testified that Hurst had planned to rob the store, and the night that it happened only Hurst and his now deceased coworker were the only two scheduled to work. The judge had instructed the jury that they could convict Hurst of…

    • 1163 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    After detective Townsend decided that that Roussells current address was the Magnolia apts he decided to conduct a probation search. While searching the apartment they found a hand gun. After searching the residents detective Townsend found out from Kima Downey that Roussell had moved out about three months earlier, The detective also found out that Downey was a convicted felon, they arrested him for possession of the gun. Downey motioned to suppress the weapon but it was denied and he pled guilty.…

    • 496 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    He was still and lifeless on the table. Hours went by with no movement. But then, the body of Jonas began the shake, he began to cough. Then Jonas suddenly bursted up from the table and took in a huge gasp of air. It seemed that he had only been unconscious. Confused, Jonas got up and slowly began to wander out of the morgue. He came across a room that was marked “Control Room”. He glanced through the window and it was presumed to be empty. He entered and noticed a drawer labeled “Archives”. He scrolled through and found the file of Teddy Lewis. He opened it in amazement. It had everything about Teddy’s life in it. When he was young, he was an angel. He got good grades in school, respected his parents, and never got in trouble with the law. The file continued. It also said that he served in World War 2 and had to be honorably discharged with major PTSD. The biggest discovery was next. He didn’t kill one man, he killed twenty-two. Jonas was amazed by what he found. He was also curious to see what actually happened to him. He found the security tapes from the night before. Teddy did not get out of the bed at all during the night. Instead, Jonas saw a security uniform coming towards the cell. It was Sanders! Sanders tried to kill him. Jonas got a copy of the footage to save his friend.…

    • 1373 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Better Essays

    "Crimes and Misdemeanors: The Final Scene." YouTube. YouTube, 04 Feb. 2009. Web. 30 Mar. 2013.…

    • 1571 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    At 4am dispatch received a call from the resident at 137 West Alexander Drive, who claimed to have heard a scream from his neighbours house. Captain Jason Long turned the case over to Officer Brice Tyler, Officer Lily Rayne, and I. At approximately 4:30am we arrived at the house knocking on the door. The young man answered with a smile on his face. I had noted that he seemed wide awake, as if he had been up for some time, as he invited us inside. We told him of our cause of being there, and he immediately told us the old man was visiting his sister in another town. He did not give us more details. instead, he showed us that the old mans belongings were exactly in there proper place. Afterward, he asked us to sit down in the bedroom, chatting easily about his evening. Soon after, he seemed to become agitated, raising his voice and speaking angrily. He was soon pacing and hitting the table, threatening us to make us stop agonising him, even though we did not say a threatening word to him.…

    • 380 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Throughout the film, Murder on a Sunday Morning, chain –smoking, meticulous, public defender Pat McGuinness had gone through and carefully investigated what had occurred the day of the shooting in Jacksonville. He had suspected a rushed accusation of the individual who had committed the crime on that Sunday morning, which is in fact, why they had accused Butler so quickly. McGuinness had despised the laziness and lack of investigation the officers performed, but in the end it had only benefited him. The only evidence the officers had to offer within the…

    • 724 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Death Penalty Timeline

    • 331 Words
    • 2 Pages

    G.) Key Terms: Dec, 1982, Texas 1st Lethal Injection, Charles Brook Mur Ft Worth Mechanic, first drug, Pentathal, deep, coma like unconsciousness, second drug Pavulon, paralytic agent that inhibits all muscular-skeletal movements and, by paralyzing the diaphragm, stops respiration, 3rd drug Potassium Chloride interferes with the electrical signals that stimulate the contractions of the heart, inducing cardiac arrest, first so no pain 2nd&…

    • 331 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    So Aldo did his job and alert that in the driver's side door smelled drugs which give Wheatley probable cause so that the police officer to search Harris truck. The reason, the police officer use a warrantless search and arrest was because at the commission moment it was not feasible to obtaining warrant prior to the search and arrest. Aldo's alert investigation give substantial evidence that Harry has committed a crime that lead to the discovery of "200 loose pseudoephedrine pills, 8,000 matches, a bottle of hydrochloric acid, two containers of antifreeze, and a coffee filter full of iodine crystals- all ingredients for making methamphetamine." Once again, the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution allows the police officer like Wheetley to conducted a warrantless search to Harris's truck because in that circumstances it was likely that the evidence will be destroyed. As a result, the trial court permitted the evidence to be submitted at trial that most likely will confirm the charged of possession of pseudoephedrine against…

    • 420 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Legal Notes

    • 413 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Filled with remorse, Jake turns himself into the police and tells them about his insurance scam plan. He is charged with arson and attempted fraud (for burning down the factory to obtain the insurance money); malicious damage to property (due to the destruction of the factory employees' property that was in the building); and murder (in respect of Klaas' death).…

    • 413 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Charels Ng

    • 559 Words
    • 3 Pages

    The killings came to an end only through chance. Having broken the vise they were using to torture their victims, Lake and Ng drove into town to get a replacement. The clerk at the lumberyard spotted Ng trying to shoplift the vise and called the police. When they arrived, Ng had departed on foot. Upon being arrested, Lake gave the police the name of his partner and then swallowed two cyanide pills he had taped to the collar of his shirt. Ng, however, had disappeared.…

    • 559 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays