A Time to Kill

Her siblings find Tonya later that day, barely alive, her father, Carl Lee Hailey (Samuel L. Jackson) and the black community is outraged. Tonya’s missing shoe is found in the back of the yellow pick up truck and both men are arrested for rape and attempted murder. Carl Lee confronts his lawyer, Jake Brigance (Mathew McConaughey) about similar cases where the white criminals were let off or given light sentences for similar charges, which enrages Carl Lee further. Carl Lee asks if Jake will stand by him in a jam, Jake promises he will.

The next morning Carl Lee shoots the two men on the way to their arraignment, both men die and

. . .

The DA, Buckley opens the trail by bringing Cobb’s mother to the stand and showing the gun Carl Lee used to the jury. Carl Lee and Jake have to find a way to show the jury the situation that drove Carl Lee to take the law into his own hands. Jake stood by his side, opening his eyes to the harsh reality that he was part of the racism problem, but could also do something to solve it. The film represents a wide range of views on the situation, from the Ku Klux Klan, Jake, Carl Lee, the NAACP, Buckley, the Judge, the jury, Dept. Most of the black families live in small, rundown, dark houses. The director clearly uses setting, scenery, lightening, color, costumes, and language to show the gap between blacks and whites. Carl Lee refuses, he tells Jake “You think just like them (the jury) that’s why I picked you… How’s a black man ever gonna get a fair trail with the enemy behind the bench and in the jury box? My life in white hands. The black community of Canton resides in a neighborhood where all the blacks are grouped together and isolated from the whites. Finally, the entire courtroom scene, from opening statements to the acquittal of Carl Lee, is truly important. It is easy to imagine that the events in the movie actually did happen or could happen in American today. Not to mention black men charged for similar crimes are much more severely sentenced.

Judge Omar Lewis decides to turn down Jake’s request for a change of venue on the grounds that it would be impossible to find a fair and impartial jury in any county in Mississippi. ” Carl Lee is found innocent and released immediately; he hurries out to meet and embraces Tonya outside the courthouse. The black community is held back in the job market and education due to the racism that exists in Canton. Joel Schumacher brought to life John Grisham’s bestseller A Time to Kill in the most excellent way.

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Approximate Word count = 2353
Approximate Pages = 9 (250 words per page double spaced)

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