Turn the clock back to the wee hours of June 12, 1963. President Kennedy has just delivered a Civil Rights Address. Medgar Evers, a civil rights activist, was shot and killed in front of the door to his house.
Though regularly tailed by FBI and local police car, Evers arrived home ominously without the usual escort. Arrested in connection with the murder, Byron De La Beckwith faced two all - white juries which deadlocked. The case went fallow for three decades.
Flash ahead to 1994 a new prosecutor and changed social circumstances ushered in a third re - trial. The movie postulates prosecutor's Bobby De Laughter's sudden conversion to the cause. In the movie version Myrlie Evers, Medgar Evers' widow, (Whoppi Goldberg) and Martin Dees make a persuasive case for re - examining the case that impels De Laughter to conclude that justice should be done.
Whoopi Goldberg portrays Medgar's widow with a natural dignity. A touch of humor conceals any lingering sadness. "I gave up hating De La Beckwith because it made no sense. The hate would eat me out and he wouldn't care." Charged up with a quest for justice De Laughter (Alec Baldwin) sallies forth. In an alliance with Myrlie Evers, De Laughter resumes prosecution of De La Beckwith with vigor.
Alec Baldwin's performance as the prosecutor won over to the cause of righteousness captures the elegance of Bobby DeLaughter's style as a trial attorney. The grand - eloquent, magnificent closing argument in the movie catches the gist of the one delivered in the real - life case.
The closing argument De Laughter delivered is regarded as a work of art. "The legal case is simple. A man was shot in the back on his doorstep." The master of understatement, De Laughter relying heavily on evidence coming on De La Beckwith's "big mouth," argued, "The other issues are more complex..." The closing argument won a place in the text Ladies and Gentleman of the Jury: Greatest Closing Arguments in Modern Law.
In the movie version, the prosecution of De Beckwith in 1994 sends De Laughter's marriage into Mississippi's white elite into a tailspin.
The trial recounted in Ghosts is remarkable for its demonstration of the unexpected professionalism of the Jackson police in collecting and preserving forensic evidence. In spite of whispers and speculation of an official hand in the tragedy, the police did their job well in making a case against the arch - villain De La Beckwith.
The culprit De La Beckwith was played by James Woods who excels at portraying excitable individuals. Capturing the imperviousness who without remorse shot a man in the back, De La Beckwith boasted in the movie version that he would have had remorse over killing a deer.
The stage is set for the verdict which rights the wrong as far as that is possible.
Though regularly tailed by FBI and local police car, Evers arrived home ominously without the usual escort. Arrested in connection with the murder, Byron De La Beckwith faced two all - white juries which deadlocked. The case went fallow for three decades.
Flash ahead to 1994 a new prosecutor and changed social circumstances ushered in a third re - trial. The movie postulates prosecutor's Bobby De Laughter's sudden conversion to the cause. In the movie version Myrlie Evers, Medgar Evers' widow, (Whoppi Goldberg) and Martin Dees make a persuasive case for re - examining the case that impels De Laughter to conclude that justice should be done.
Whoopi Goldberg portrays Medgar's widow with a natural dignity. A touch of humor conceals any lingering sadness. "I gave up hating De La Beckwith because it made no sense. The hate would eat me out and he wouldn't care." Charged up with a quest for justice De Laughter (Alec Baldwin) sallies forth. In an alliance with Myrlie Evers, De Laughter resumes prosecution of De La Beckwith with vigor.
Alec Baldwin's performance as the prosecutor won over to the cause of righteousness captures the elegance of Bobby DeLaughter's style as a trial attorney. The grand - eloquent, magnificent closing argument in the movie catches the gist of the one delivered in the real - life case.
The closing argument De Laughter delivered is regarded as a work of art. "The legal case is simple. A man was shot in the back on his doorstep." The master of understatement, De Laughter relying heavily on evidence coming on De La Beckwith's "big mouth," argued, "The other issues are more complex..." The closing argument won a place in the text Ladies and Gentleman of the Jury: Greatest Closing Arguments in Modern Law.
In the movie version, the prosecution of De Beckwith in 1994 sends De Laughter's marriage into Mississippi's white elite into a tailspin.
The trial recounted in Ghosts is remarkable for its demonstration of the unexpected professionalism of the Jackson police in collecting and preserving forensic evidence. In spite of whispers and speculation of an official hand in the tragedy, the police did their job well in making a case against the arch - villain De La Beckwith.
The culprit De La Beckwith was played by James Woods who excels at portraying excitable individuals. Capturing the imperviousness who without remorse shot a man in the back, De La Beckwith boasted in the movie version that he would have had remorse over killing a deer.
The stage is set for the verdict which rights the wrong as far as that is possible.