A Time to Kill

The movie takes place in rural Mississippi, where Carl Lee Hailey’s daughter Tonya, is raped and beaten by two white men at the beginning of the movie. Fearing that justice want be properly served, Carl Lee takes the law into his own hands and kills the two suspects on their way to their arraignment. The movie fails to show a judge issuing any warrants; it just skips to the sheriffs coming to Carl Lee’s house to arrest him. Most law enforcement officials would take some caution in attempting to arrest a man who just committed two brutal murders, but the sheriff calmly knocks on the door and takes him away. Carl Lee is never informed of his Miranda rights, which is unconstitutional.

The next step in the criminal process is a hearing by a grand jury. This is when a panel decides if there is indeed sufficient evidence to try the case. Although there was without doubt sufficient ev

. . .
The judge, for some political reasons, denies Brigance’s motion to change venue. In Brigance’s opening statement, he continually refers to the rape of Carl Lees daughter even though the judge warns him not to.

The first actual court action by Brigance is to file for a change of venue. In this case, Carl Lee pleads not guilty and his trial date is set. Under the same circumstances most judges would allow for a change of venue.

The next part of a trial is the discovery process. The KKK also holds demonstrations outside the courthouse, along with the NAACP. A man cannot for any reason carry out two premeditated murders in front of numerous eye witnesses an receive no punishment at all. In A Time To Kill, Brigance tells the jury an emotional story about a young girl being raped. The prosecutor opens first, usually explaining the facts of the trial, and how he intends to prove the defendant guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

The wheels of justice turn slowly but this wasn’t the case in A Time To Kill.

The most important witnesses in the trial are the side’s psychiatrists.

The jury then begins their deliberation on a verdict. This obviously has huge ramifications on the trial, but the producers of the movie somehow forgot it.

Common topics in this essay:
Carl Lee, Kill Brigance, Carl Lees, Jake Brigance, Lee Hailey, OJ Simpson, Grishams Kill, KKK KKK, Lee Haileys, carl lee, legal system, John Grisham, potential jurors, american legal system, court law, outside courtroom, american legal, change venue, voir dire, defense prosecution, actual court, defendant guilty beyond, law own hands, voir dire process, guilty beyond reasonable,

Approximate Word count = 1624
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)

Already a member? Click here