book , I recommend watching the series as well . Not only is the series a fresh take on the source material set in today ’ s world where seemingly every person has a cell phone and every cell phone has a camera , there are enough plot differences between the book , movie , and show to provide for a rewarding and novel viewing experience . While I will avoid spoiling the show ’ s ending , there are minor spoilers throughout this article , so reader beware .
The show ’ s first episode provides some necessary background into Rusty ’ s life before things kick into high gear . When we meet him , Rusty is the chief deputy prosecutor for fictional Kindle County , Illinois . On a seemingly normal day while Rusty is playing catch with his son , the phone rings . Rusty takes the call and learns that Carolyn Polhemus , his colleague , has been found murdered in her home . Rusty leaves home and drives straight to the crime scene . Rusty sees Carolyn tied up and bludgeoned to death .
The entire office meets to discuss Carolyn ’ s murder and determine who will handle the investigation and subsequent prosecution . Rusty ’ s boss , Kindle County District Attorney Raymond Horgan ( Bill Camp ), is facing a tough intra-office reelection challenge from Nico Della Guardia ( O-T Fagbenle ) who has been nicknamed “ Delay ” Guardia for his apparent habit of delaying trial and pleading out his caseload . Nico and his deputy , Tommy Molto ( a sinister and superb Peter Sarsgaard ), clearly have it out for both Rusty and Raymond . Tommy and Nico are both gunning to take the case and turn Carolyn ’ s murder case into a referendum on Raymond ’ s record as District Attorney .
Although other prosecutors note that Rusty and Carolyn had a close relationship and that Rusty may be too partial to take the case , Rusty insists it must be him . Raymond ultimately assigns it to Rusty , who immediately begins searching for potential suspects . One important detail from the crime scene ( it ’ s graphic and violent , but critical for the rest of the show ) was the state in which Carolyn ’ s corpse was found . Carolyn was found tied up in a manner incredibly similar to another murder case that Rusty and Carolyn worked together . The perpetrator in that case ( or at least the man who was convicted for the crime ) lashed out at Carolyn upon his sentencing , leading Rusty to believe that this convict was somehow involved in Carolyn ’ s murder . The connection is shaky at best , but we have our first suspect .
As Rusty ’ s investigation proceeds , it appears that all is not well in the Sabich household . Rusty ’ s wife , Barbara ( Ruth Negga ), we come to find out , was well aware that Rusty had an affair with Carolyn Polhemus in the past , but had broken it off some time ago . She ’ s understandably not happy about it , but at this point it seems to be water under the bridge . Barbara is not happy to learn that Rusty is taking on Carolyn ’ s case
COMMUNITY given their past and believes Rusty will retreat into the case and may break their marriage for good .
A few days later , Nico wins the election for District Attorney , and Rusty ’ s role as chief deputy prosecutor is given to Tommy Molto . Rusty and Raymond meet with Nico and Tommy to discuss the Carolyn Polhemus case which has now switched hands . Tommy , who clearly holds quite a bit of contempt for Rusty , is now in charge , cross examining Rusty on his handling of the evidence in the investigation . Unbeknownst to Rusty , the fingerprints have returned from the lab and Rusty ’ s fingerprints were all over Carolyn ’ s home . Tommy asks Rusty why he would have been at his coworker ’ s home and what the extent of Carolyn ’ s and Rusty ’ s relationship was . Tommy ’ s line of questioning gets more direct when he asks Rusty if he and Carolyn were in a relationship . Finally , here at the end of the first episode , we get our first dropped bomb : Carolyn Polhemus was pregnant when she died , and Rusty may be the father . Within a matter of days , Rusty has gone from being the lead prosecutor investigating Carolyn Polhemus ’ s murder to being the prime suspect . Ladies and gentlemen , we have our second suspect .
Clearly , there are a lot of moving parts in Presumed Innocent . Characters , plot lines , investigative leads and misdirects all serve to confuse and compel the viewer . All of the synopsis above is just the first episode . To recap all of the different plotlines and suspects would be too much for one article . You should just watch the show ! By the final episode , nearly every primary character has been portrayed in a light that had me questioning their culpability in Carolyn Polhemus ’ s murder . Despite Carolyn ’ s record as a hardworking prosecutor with few enemies , it seems that nearly everyone in her orbit could have had motivation to kill her . But perhaps that ’ s what makes Presumed Innocent so compelling . Among the more concrete questions asked in any “ whodunnit ” show or movie , Presumed Innocent also asks more amorphous ones . What compels someone to take the life of another ? Can you ever truly know your coworkers ? Your family ? What exactly is “ justice ”? Does our system of trial by jury and incarceration for the convicted truly enact this notion of “ justice ”?
There are also countless questions pertinent to lawyers in Presumed Innocent . As the story progresses , Rusty ’ s situation goes from bad ( implicated in the murder of his coworker and former mistress ) to worse ( arrested and placed on trial for said murder of his coworker and former mistress ). Many of my favorite scenes from the show take place when Rusty is on trial for Carolyn ’ s murder . Tommy Molto has now taken the lead for the prosecution with Nico Della Guardia by his side . Rusty , with nowhere else to turn , goes to his old boss , now former District Attorney Raymond Horgan , and begs him for representation . Raymond reluctantly relents and the trial begins . Tommy ’ s case relies on both circumstantial evidence linking Rusty to Carolyn ’ s
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