Penalty Phase (1986)

Synopsis: Tony Richardson's first venture into television since he worked for the BBC many years earlier, PENALTY PHASE stars Peter Strauss as Superior Court Judge Kenneth Hoffman, a liberal magistrate who's... Tony Richardson's first venture into television since he worked for the BBC many years earlier, PENALTY PHASE stars Peter Strauss as Superior Court Judge Kenneth Hoffman, a liberal magistrate who's running for reelection while presiding over the highly public trial of child-molesting murderer Nolan Eshelman (Richard Chaves). Although the jury has already delivered a guilty verdict, it remains for the judge to mete out an appropriate sentence during the so-called penalty phase of the trial. Hoffman suddenly begins receiving anonymous phone calls and letters suggesting that the search for evidence against the killer violated his legal rights. The search warrant used by the police proves not to have beent valid, destroying the prosecution's entire case. As the judge's political race begins to tighten, his opponent accuses of him of being soft on crime, and victims'-rights advocates are equally vocal in their attacks. The judge probes the police investigation further and finds corruption on the part of lawyers and district attorneys, some of whom are running on his political slate, and he realizes that if he takes the appropriate legal action, he'll be destroying his political career. Richardson again gets excellent work from his cast in this solid courtroom melodrama. [More]

Starring: Peter Strauss, Melissa Gilbert, Karen Austin, Jonelle Allen

Starring: Peter Strauss, Melissa Gilbert, Karen Austin, Jonelle Allen

Director: Tony Richardson

Director: Tony Richardson

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