The police are so dumb it's not even believable
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Brian7250 — 12 years ago(July 25, 2013 05:59 AM)
I agree it's possible he might get caught later, but why bother to introduce another suspect unless you want to give the impression he might well get away with it? I think the police did mention the fact that she was pregnant by him, that would not in itself prove his guilt, however it's very unlikely that they would agree to keep that quiet just to save his marriage. Obviously any serious forensic investigation would have shown he was guilty anyway and in the absence of any proof of the other suspect's presence at the crime scene, I don't think they would just wind up the case, after all, a buglary could have taken place without it having any connection to the murder. Personally, I think the film was great and the story believeable - right up to the last fifteen minutes when the police intervention was farcical and rather spoiled what went on before. That part was like a Woody Allen comedy rather than the serious stuff that led up to it. There would have been a fair sized investigation for a double murder, not a couple of coppers deciding he might not be guilty after all. Perhaps the idea was that he wouldn't be able to live with what he had done, even if he remained free.
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drnossal — 12 years ago(August 23, 2013 08:56 AM)
I don't think so. Chris goes scot-free, unless he does something dumb like confess.
- There is no evidence that Nola was actually pregnant. Her claim may well have been a ruse. Even if she was pregnant, the police already know all about Chris' affair with her. It might highlight an even stronger motive, but the police sergeant was already certain Chris was the guilty party; he didn't need a pregnancy to convince him that Chris was his man. Their problem was overwhelming evidence that a drug addict with a long record and stolen goods in his possession did it. They had little more than a motive for Chris, to continue to pursue that line of inquiry would have been pointless and a waste of police resources.
- Same for the phone call. The affair was known, even if the call was connected to both Chris and Nola (I don't recall which phones were used), he could simply admit to having spoken with her that day. Corroboration of the affair? Yes. Proof of murder? No.
- How do you prove the drug addict didn't have access to a shotgun? We already know the addict had a long arrest record. While the movie doesn't tell us, quite possible some of those arrests involved theft or use of firearms or other weapons. The drug addict was, as I recall, shot to death, so he was obviously associated with people who had guns, at the least.
- How in the world could the police determine the value of the shotgun that was used in the murders? Not possible, unless Chris used some kind of exotic shot shells. In fact, the police automatically assume the murder weapon to be some junkie's concealable sawn-off shotgun when it was not.
- To perform a DNA test, you have to have a viable sample. The police would have to swab the entire insides of both apartments and the hallway, testing literally hundreds of samples likely containing DNA from multiple people. After all that, Chris had a legitimate explanation for his DNA having been present in those areas, having obviously visited on multiple occasions.
DNA is useful when you have an obvious sample to work with, for example hair, skin, blood or other bodily fluids left at the scene. Chris left no such obvious clue. - The one serious clue left by Chris occurs when he rushes out of the apartment building, obviously upset, sweating and carrying a sizeable duffle bag, and collides with a passerby. If that man ever connected the double murder with his sidewalk encounter with Chris, very likely he could positively identify Chris, placing him at the scene at the precise time of the murders. The jig would certainly be up then. Unfortunately for the police, that potential key witness never materializes.
- The theme of the film is, as you say, luck and how a single, nearly random twist of fate decides whether you spend the rest of your life alone in prison, or in the luxury of wealth and a loving family.
Not only does Chris avoid getting caught by multiple means (the passerby, being seen taking or replacing the shotgun, getting caught by a security camera, a witness to the Nola murder, the elderly neighbor home and alone at the right time, Nola shows up on schedule, successfully destroying or hiding the evidence, etc.), he also had the unbelievable one in a million lucky chance that the ring didn't fall in the river, was picked up by a perfect patsy and the patsy managed to get himself killed before the police could interview him properly.
The determination, reluctant though it may have been, that the drug addict was the very likely culprit served to short circuit any line of investigation that might have turned up solid evidence against a man who commits a double murder, gets away with it and lives a lovely, comfortable life for his trouble. Some people just win the lottery, through no real effort of their own other than a willingness to buy a ticket. End of story.
"You didn't come into this life just to sit around on a dugout bench, did ya?" - Morris Buttermaker
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holatKolnoa — 2 years ago(September 30, 2023 10:11 AM)
"Chris left his sweat all over the crime scene" - Sweat? Where would his sweat be? I don't even think they could get fingerprints the way he was sweeping stuff off shelves.
When you think of garbage, think of Hakeem!
Folks, calm down! This is not the last chopper outta Saigon! -
Xkape — 11 years ago(May 14, 2014 12:16 AM)
I think turning away from her door because she hear the killer hiding near the elevator is easily possible. What I find dumb regarding the cops is not that one of them actually had the idea he could be the killer, but how long it took him lol. It should have been instantly since many murders pan out this way. Then let's not forget all of those cell phone calls. I actually thought he was going to give himself away when he gave the cop his cell number. Ok sure, they could have checked to see if any out going calls from that apartment went to his cell phone which would have been on record regardless if he gave them his number or not. I'd just assume he'd speed things up for them because they were so extremely stupid for detectives.
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holatKolnoa — 2 years ago(September 30, 2023 10:12 AM)
What would phone records show? That Chris and Nola talked to each other? The cops already knew that. Having talked to someone doesn't mean you're a murder suspect.
When you think of garbage, think of Hakeem!
Folks, calm down! This is not the last chopper outta Saigon! -
AfroGeek — 11 years ago(July 20, 2014 10:44 AM)
The cops probably assumed he was lying about the affair. And getting shot at angle X or Y doesn't spell out what did or didn't happen. That's usually TV stuff.
Amy
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I swear to GodI swear to God! That is NOT how you treat your human! -
holatKolnoa — 2 years ago(September 30, 2023 10:13 AM)
"The cops probably assumed he was lying about the affair." - What? Why would they assume that? And why would he lie about having had an affair with her if he hadn't?
When you think of garbage, think of Hakeem!
Folks, calm down! This is not the last chopper outta Saigon!