First thing to know about this show is it is not a popular one as of right now. Like many shows before it, Harry’s Law is another classic law and order program that most likely only lawyers watch. On the other hand, maybe some people watch it to see what it is like to be lawyer. Some may be interested in the relationships lawyers and their clients form. Some may be interested in the relationships defenders, prosecutors and judges have. Myself? I watch it because I get a feel of what it would be like to be a lawyer.
This particular episode made me write because of the emotional appeal. An old friend of Harry’s, Puck, came to Harry for help because he was accused of aiding and abetting in a kidnapping. A client of Puck’s took a child and Puck did what he thought was right and negotiated to get the little girl back to her family. However, in doing so, the kidnapper got away with $2 million.
For the sake of this article, we will ignore what is right and what is wrong. We will ignore that Puck had a societal and professional responsibility to report this kidnapping to the police. What I want to concentrate on is Harry’s defense to the jury.
Society is sold that court decisions should be made based on facts and evidence. After all, if the gloves fits. However, Harry did not win this case because the evidence was on her side. She did not win the case because Puck got the girl back safely. Harry won this case because she appealed to the jury’s heart. In her closing argument, Harry first asked the jury to put themselves in the shoes of the parents of the kidnapped girl. What would they have wanted Puck to do? Go to the police who only have a 60% success rate of getting children back? Or do what he could to get the girl back safely? Needless to say, we all know what the jury was thinking.
Next, as defenders tend to do, Harry asked the jury to put themselves in Puck’s shoes. Seven years before this case, Puck was faced with the exact same situation. He chose not to negotiate with the kidnappers. That abducted boy was eventually murdered. So what would any human being do in this case? Why would anyone make the same decision again that resulted in a murder? Harry engrained this decision in the jury’s heads. How would anyone disagree with Puck? Yes he didn’t go by the law, but he got the job done. Harry got the jury to put law aside and go with their heart. They knew Puck could not make the same decision again. By putting the in Puck’s shoes, Harry knew they couldn’t send this “hero” to jail. No evidence needed. Harry got Puck off because of emotion and heart. Just another way to look at law and enjoy Harry’s Law.
Nice first post.
ReplyDelete