| Mercy Killer |
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Log Line:
An arrogant, male district attorney and a high-powered, female ACLU lawyer clash in a tumultuous contest of wits, legal skills, and personalities during the trial of a man accused of the mercy-killing of his wife, resulting in an intense, heated courtroom battle that ends with a stunning, revolutionary verdict.
Synopsis
District Attorney Harland Bridger, 50s, and ACLU hotshot civil rights attorney Taylor Parent, 30s, clash from the moment they meet at the courthouse for the right-to-die murder trial of veterinarian Dr. Leo Guardia. Bridger has charged Guardia with first degree murder, and is demanding the death penalty. Taylor believes Guardia is a hero who, at his terminally ill wife's request, relieved her suffering, and that the prosecution has no case.
As the trial unfolds, we cut between the courtroom, and the prior world of Guardia and his wife, leading up to the party on the last night of her life. The segments are bridged by the deeply personal story Guardia tells an off-camera interviewer of why his wife begged him to euthanize her, and how he finally agreed.
At the Guardia Ranch, Leo and Deirdre feed their animals, talk about the party. She shows him the results of her latest tests - her cancer has returned for the third time; but this time, she won't go through the treatment, has made up her mind that they're going to make the party great and have the best time they've ever had. At his veterinary clinic, Leo listens to his wacky clients. He goes home for lunch and he and Deirdre make love for the last time. Later, at the clinic, Leo euthanizes a dog to prevent the dog from suffering.
In the courtroom, Bridger makes the prosecution's case, demonstrating the IV machine that dispensed the drug that killed Deirdre, establishing Leo's fingerprints on it, and implying there was something sexual between Leo and his sister-in-law, Katherine, causing Leo and Taylor to leap up in defense. Bridger brings in a medical ethicist, who outlines the right-to-die issue, then testifies that an academic paper written by Dr. Guardia entitled 'Animals are People Too' is evidence that Dr. Guardia feels there's no difference between euthanizing an animal and euthanizing a human being, provoking a heated argument between Bridger and Taylor, before the prosecution rests its case.
At the party, everyone has a great time, especially around the craps table, Deirdre does some matchmaking, focuses on her friends, seems happy as the party ends. Leo tells the interviewer that after they left, he tried to get Deirdre to change her mind, but she knew what she wanted.
In court, Taylor puts on her own medical ethicist, who testifies that Leo's paper does not mean that humans are less and can be euthanized, but that animals should be treated with the same respect and care as humans. He tells the court that the right-to-die movement is the next civil rights battleground, as 70% of Americans believe in the right to a dignified and pain-free death.
Believing the prosecution has not proved its case, Taylor prepares to rest the defense case when Leo insists on testifying. They argue, she tells him he's committing suicide, letting down the whole right-to-die movement that needs cases like this to get more laws passed. Leo insists, will fire her if necessary, says he won't sit here and listen to these lies without having his say. She finally agrees, tells him she wants him to mention something in his testimony that might help.
At the ranch, Leo and Deirdre prepare for the moment, the room filled with flowers. After declaring their love for one another, at the moment when Deirdre says so, Leo pushes the button, lies down beside her, holds her, sobbing, until she's gone - "I love you, you're finally free."
In court, Leo testifies that he killed Deirdre, explains how she begged him to help her when her doctor wouldn't, what it's like to watch someone you love die in pain, his heartfelt testimony bringing tears to the eyes of those in court. The judge tells him that under the law, his motives have no bearing on the charge of murder. But, coached by Taylor, Leo says he's read something about jury nullification, in which the jury can vote on the law if they don't like it, not just the facts. The judge is livid, warns Leo not to introduce the subject again.
Bridger says he despises Leo for killing his wife, prompting a yelling argument between Bridger and Taylor that ends with Bridger's confession that the reason for his anger is that he was forced to watch his own wife die in agony. He flings his water carafe against the wall in fury, the judge pounding his gavel and citing both attorneys for contempt.
In her closing argument, Taylor argues jury nullification, tells the jury they can vote to overturn the law, is cited for contempt again, arrested by order of the judge, yelling quotes from Thomas Jefferson and John Adams as she is hauled out of the courtroom. Bridger makes his closing argument, says Leo must be found guilty as a result of his confession, and should be given the death penalty. When the verdict comes in, it is not guilty, presumably a form of jury nullification, prompting the judge to voice his disdain for the jury and its decision.
On their way out of the courthouse, Taylor and Leo talk on their cellphones, both turned-on by the conflict and the action in court. When Bridger suggests a drink and more, Taylor answers, "Your place or mine?" We also find out that Taylor was the interviewer to whom Leo has been talking during the film, interviews that led up to the day before the trial.
At the ranch, Leo walks with the dogs, remembers his life with Deirdre, and hears the jury foreman's voice say the words - "Not Guilty." Then, as tears roll down his cheeks and his eyes fill the screen, Leo murmurs to himself - "Am I?"
Paul Young is the original screenwriter of the Warner Bros. feature Born to be Wild, a Billboard Top Ten Video Hit. He has also sold screenplays to Robert Redford's Wildwood Productions, Spelling Entertainment, and Viacom. A former Columbia Pictures Television Story Analyst, Mr. Young is president of Literary & Screenplay Consultants www.ScriptZone.com, the Los Angeles-based script consulting firm he founded, through which he has provided in-depth screenplay analysis on such films as Warner Bros.' Shiloh, and October Films' Academy Award-Nominated Breaking the Waves, winner of the Grand Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival.