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Justice,
2004, 104 minutes, Not Rated
By Ramona Prioleau
In all criminal prosecutions, the accused
shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial
jury of the State…and to be informed of the nature and cause of
the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to
have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to
have the assistance of counsel for his defense.
- Amendment VI to the United States Constitution
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Since
Congress drafted and the States in the Union ratified the Sixth
Amendment to the United States Constitution, the American population
has grown significantly and so has the cost and time to ensure
criminal justice. To reduce the financial and administrative burden on
the criminal justice system as well as benefit the accused in a
criminal proceeding, the plea bargaining process developed. Now a
mainstay of criminal litigation, plea deals enable prosecutors and
defendants to contract around the letter of the Sixth Amendment by
permitting defendants to plead guilty to a lesser criminal charge if
they forego their constitutional right to trial.
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© 2004 Jujitsu Films
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While
on its face beneficial to both sides, the plea bargaining process is not without its drawbacks. Notably, abuses can
occur in an environment that favors the process whether or not it's
appropriate. More importantly, plea bargaining, when
overused, can lead to jurists and attorneys abdicating the duties of
their profession, resulting in judges weighing the costs of a trial
rather than determining applicable laws during a trial and lawyers
shepherding clients through the system rather than providing effective
counsel and zealous representation.
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These issues and more
are addressed in Justice, written and directed by the husband and wife
team of Jeanne-Marie Almonor and John Shulman. Both civil rights
attorneys, the co-writers and co-directors pour their vast experiences
into the film. The film stars Roger Guenveur Smith as JC Carter, a
defense attorney who receives a wake up call when his client turns
down a seemingly favorable plea offer from the prosecution. Egged on
by his client to fight the system, JC rediscovers his passion for the
law and realizes that it is time he became part of the solution rather
than part of the establishment that browbeats defendants into making
unwarranted compromises.
But attorney Carter does more than merely hang out
his shingle to represent private clients. He unleashes a new brand of
inspired trial advocacy on the Minneapolis court system; stages a
media blitz and initiates a direct action campaign to bring attention
to the criminal injustices inherent in the system.
Although Carter chooses to lead a very public life
full of sound bites and career moves that anger the political and
social elite, his private life is the source of love, peace and
normalcy that reinvigorates his soul. It is Carter's wife Sharice who
is responsible for keeping the hearth warm. But doing so is not
without the emotional and financial challenges that come with raising
a family of four on one income in the inner city. Sharice, played by
Monica Calhoun (The Best Man),
is an excellent addition to the actress' repertoire. Calhoun brings to
Sharice quiet strength, dignity and maternal elegance.
Justice also features strong performances by Anna
Maria Horsford, Allen Hamilton and Kevin West, but Joe Minjares as
Garcia is a treat. Minjares wonderfully captures the cheeky trial
attorney with passion and humor and impresses with every scene.
M
December 2004
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