MovieChat Forums > The Devil's Advocate (1997) Discussion > Kevin announcing that he is leaving the ...

Kevin announcing that he is leaving the case - would this make it more difficult for the fat pedo guy to get convicted?

posted 2 years ago by PopMusicFan1927 (114)
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So let me preface this by saying that I am not a lawyer amd that I know that this is only a film and films stray from realism constantly due to the fact that a film is typically designed to entertain.
My question is this - is the notion of Kevin announcing in court that he was quitting the case a situation that would essentially result in more difficulty for the pedo to actually get convicted due to bias/difficulty to get a fair trial? Or would they just declare a mistrial and start another trial all over again from square 1?

[–] Ace_Spade (9458) 2 years ago

I did think that part of the film was poorly handled. Kevin should have just botched his cross-examination, making it look like he just couldn't crack the witness. That would have solidified the guilty verdict. On the other hand, as the final moments of the film show us, his ego is still a problem, so maybe it only occurred to him to solve his problem with a grandstanding move.

As far as the conviction goes, I think you're right and it would make it harder to get a guilty verdict. We'd have to track down a lawyer familiar with Florida law, but I would think what Kevin did would wind up getting the molester a mistrial and a second trial would ensue.