Edition 55

A 2019 American legal drama that is based on true events and memoir of Bryan Stevenson, A Harvard educated lawyer, social justice activist, founder/executive director of the “Equal Justice Initiative” an organization that fights against racial discrimination, poor and minorities in the criminal
justice system, especially children. The movie deals with the story of Walter McMillian (Jamie Foxx). An African American, Walter is convicted to death sentence for the murder of a white woman. When Bryan (Michael B Jordan) meets Walter in prison as part of the “Equal Justice Initiative”, he discovers that Walter was found guilty based entirely on the testimony of a convicted felon who traded his prison sentence for testifying against Walter. A few instances later, Bryan is convinced that Walter was innocent and wrongfully convicted in the case. Bryan then embarks on journey to prove the innocence of Walter. Several trials and tribulations later, Walter McMillian’s case is opened for re-trial. The real testimony unfolds, and Walter eventually walks free. In real life Bryan Stevenson and his partner in this initiative continue to fight for equal rights of justice for the poor and the coloured sections of the society. The movie received critical acclaim and was nominated for several awards in various categories. A must watch for the silent real-life hero Bryan Stevenson.

Acclaimed Lawyer cum author Victor Methos is back with another legal thriller. Published on 1st March 2020, the book is a thrilling and suspense filled take on the life of Jessica Yardley an honest and brilliant US attorney. She has a haunting past. Married to a brutal serial killer who is eventually imprisoned, Jessica valiantly puts behind her troubled past to become a respectable attorney while raising her teenage daughter single handed. Unfortunately, her past comes back to her in a flood when she is approached by the FBI to assist them in a series of murders which are chillingly identical to the ones her ex husband committed. As Jessica becomes the prosecutor in this case, she slowly realises that she knows the real murderer is. How she unravels the rest of the truth forms the remaining part of the story. A fast-paced legal thriller. An ideal read to ward off lockdown blues.

A recent American drama series to hit the television in September 2019, Bluff City Law centres around a law firm in Memphis, Tennessee run by a father daughter duo – Elijah Strait and Sydney. Having gone their ways due to differences of opinion, they return to work together post Sydney’s mothers death. From class action and civil suits to arbitration, Medicare fraud and terrorism cases, the series a vast variety of cases they handle. The first season of 10 episodes aired from September to November 2019.