A Time to Kill

The movie that I chose to watch was A Time to Kill staring Samuel L. Jackson and Matthew McConaughey. This film was set in Canton Mississippi, where two white racist viciously beat and rape Carl Hailey’s (Samuel Jacksons) daughter. His daughter survives this and the two men are arrested. Carl seeks out Jake Brigance (Matthew McConaughey) a lawyer who helped defend his brother previously. They discuss a similar case which four white teenagers were acquitted of the rape of a black girl. Carl is determined to not let that happen in this case. Carl Hailey goes to the county courthouse and shoots and kills both rapists. Carl is soon arrested without resistance. Brigance agrees to provide defense for Carl Hailey. During the preliminary hearing they enter a plea of not guilty by reason of temporary insanity. Throughout the trial there are numerous threats and attempts to end Jake’s life by the KKK who resurrected because of this trial. During the closing arguments Brigance tells the jury to close their eyes while he describes in detail, the rape of a young 10-year-old girl. Mirroring the story of Carl Hailey daughter’s rape, he then asks the jury in his final comment to "now imagine she's white." This implied that Hailey would not have been called to question before the court of law had the victim been white. Had it been so, it is that the father's motive in murdering the rapists would have been seen by the public as justified, and there would not have been any prosecution. After deliberation a verdict of not guilty comes back and Carl is acquitted of all charges.
After watching this movie I gained an opinion on vigilante justice. In some situations I think its right. If I had a daughter and she was violently raped like Carl’s daughter in the movie I would take justice into my own hands. Another thing about this movie is that it shows how the justice system in the south is still determined on the color of your skin. This is something that I don’t know will ever