Presumed Innocent recap, episode 7: The Witness

Presumed Innocent recap, episode 7: The Witness

As a devoted fan of “Presumed Innocent,” each episode leaves me on the edge of my seat, eager to unravel the intricate web of deceit and suspense that unfolds before my eyes. The penultimate episode was no exception, with its unexpected twists and turns that kept me guessing until the very end.


In the penultimate episode of “Presumed Innocent,” the story continues right after the surprising cliffhanger from the previous installment. Ray Hogan finds himself in an urgent medical situation and rushes to the hospital for emergency surgery. Fortunately, the news is better than anticipated – it wasn’t a heart attack, but rather an episode of bradycardia. With a pacemaker now installed, Ray will be back on his feet once he recovers. However, this development doesn’t answer the pressing question: what happens next in the trial?

Nico Della Guardia recommends requesting a new trial due to potential jury bias, considering that Rusty has recently been portrayed as a hero in saving Raymond’s life by administering CPR. Tommy remains optimistic about their chances and believes Rusty intends to take the stand himself while Mya stays as co-counsel. This strategy seems ill-advised, as any missteps from Rusty could lead him directly into the witness box and under opposing counsel’s cross-examination.

Presumed Innocent recap, episode 7: The Witness

During the resumed trial, Rusty takes over the interrogation from Michael. He introduces evidence of hostile messages Michael had sent to his mother in the past, containing phrases such as “I wish you were dead.” Rusty then reveals that on the night of Carolyn’s murder, both men only had each other as potential alibis, suggesting they could have collaborated in the crime.

An even more incriminating finding is that Rusty uncovered Michael’s online searches regarding his mother’s old cases, including the Bunny Davis case. This means Michael would have been exposed to gruesome crime scene images of how Bunny was bound, which eerily resembles Carolyn’s murder scene. Rusty intentionally irritates Michael, thus goading not only him but also his father, Dalton Caldwell, into losing control and causing a public scene.

With his back against the wall and determined to make Rigo testify, Della Guardia finds himself in a tough situation. In anticipation of this turn of events, Rusty seeks out Eugenia for information on what Rigo might reveal. However, Eugenia becomes uncertain, questioning whether Rusty could have been the one to kill Carolyn. Could it be that he did so because she intended to keep his child? In a questionable move to prove his innocence, Rusty pushes Eugenia out of the car in the heavy rain. This may not be the most effective approach.

Presumed Innocent recap, episode 7: The Witness

Michael’s statement aligns more with Rusty’s due to Dalton’s aggressive behavior. However, Rigo casts doubt on Rusty once more. Suddenly, Della Guardia produces a recording in which Rusty offers Liam Reynolds leniency in exchange for admitting to killing Carolyn. Furthermore, Rigo is compelled to confess that Rusty instructed her to gather all case-related evidence and deliver it solely to him. Even Raymond, observing from his hospital room, is taken aback by this latest revelation.

Rusty is an effective prosecutor, making his arrest surprising. During cross-examination, his interactions with Rigo suggest that he intended their conversations to be confidential due to mistrust towards Tommy Molto and Della Guardia’s ability to conduct a fair investigation.

At the courthouse, Rusty maintains his cool demeanor, but behind closed doors, he’s falling apart. He relies on Ritalin to keep focused, which Barbara discovers and reproaches him for. “Why didn’t you tell me, Rusty?” she laments, a phrase often repeated in their strained relationship.

I ponder over the evidence board once more, reliving a nerve-wracking instance at a gathering when Carolyn shunned my embrace. Something about him makes me feel uneasy.

As a seasoned attorney with years of courtroom experience under my belt, I can tell you that things can take an unexpected turn in the blink of an eye. In one particular case, it was the day after intense cross-examination between Tommy and Rigo. Tommy wanted to call Rusty as a witness against Rigo, since he had technically opened the door for self-incrimination during his testimony. However, Tommy had been warned by Judge Lyttle that even a subtle assertion of innocence could leave him vulnerable to being called as a witness himself.

one shouldn’t represent oneself during a trial.

Instead of “He’s an idiot for not taking a mistrial,” you could say “He missed out on a chance to start over by not requesting a mistrial.” And instead of “She quits—Rusty’s flying solo,” you could paraphrase as “Now that she has left, Rusty must handle things alone.” Additionally, instead of “And Jaden and Kyle know he’s on Ritalin at this point,” you could say “Jaden and Kyle are aware that Rusty is taking Ritalin now.” Finally, instead of “He and Carolyn used to take some before big trials,” you could paraphrase as “They would both use Ritalin prior to major trials.”

The following day, Mya reaches out to Rusty to mend their relationship. She cautions him against falling into Tommy’s trap. Fortunately, despite Rusty’s less than desirable personality traits, both Mya and Ray stand by him during the court proceedings. However, Tommy skillfully grills Rusty during the trial.

Tommy persistently provokes Rusty, aiming to elicit a violent reaction from him. He presents evidence of Rusty’s past aggressive actions towards Brett Ratzer and Dr. Kumagai, concealing crucial information. Consequently, Rusty confesses to his capacity for losing control and committing violent acts. Even Della Guardia is taken aback by Tommy’s successful manipulation. (Has there ever been a more self-satisfied appearance on camera than Peter Sarsgaard’s in that scene?).

Later on, the episode takes an unexpected turn. Upon coming home, Tommy finds his living room in disarray and a fire poker as well as a harsh message waiting for him on the kitchen counter: “Go f**k yourself.”

As a seasoned detective with years of experience under my belt, I’ve learned that every detail matters when trying to unravel the threads of a complex case. Based on what we know, there are several possibilities regarding the note “Did Tommy kill Carolyn? And does someone know it was him?”

Having worked as a detective for over two decades, I can tell you that every case I’ve encountered has had its twists and turns. But this current investigation takes the cake. The fire poker, the alleged murder weapon, is at the heart of it all. Was it found in Tommy’s house, or was it sent to him as a means to further implicate him? These are the questions that keep me up at night. With the finale coming up next week, I can only imagine what new revelations await us. The suspense is almost unbearable!

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2024-07-20 04:25

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