Usually I am not into reviewing single TV episodes - but last nights Boston Legal was outstanding. It concluded a story arc about Joseph Washington - who died in this episode.
The overall theme of this story arc was conviction and forgiveness. The not so fictional character of Joseph was an African-American accused of rape and murder in different cases. His murder trial ended with not guilty.
But he was sentenced as a sex offender although the rape was never proven. That alone sent him to prison and he was obliged to register as a sex offender. This was hard enough: you had to register as such in his local community, was forbidden to use public transport and even drive a car. Most of all: all the ‘good’ people of the once again not so fictional ‘Middletown’ wanted him to leave, harassed him and tried to kick him out of their nice community.
In this episode his sex offender case was reopened and the girl that accused him of being a rapist admitted she lied. Now his sex offender status was revoked, but still the good people of Middletown wanted him to leave.
Joseph Washington was found later in that episode murdered. Sad enough. But the real heartbreaking scene was, when his lawyer spoke before the people of Middletown in Church: "Let us pray for forgiveness and acceptance."
Would Jesus kill innocent men? Would Jesus kill even acquitted rapists or murderers?
This episode of Boston Legal asked some tough questions and attacked Americas addiction to locking away people, cutting legal deals instead of looking for the truth and never reintegrating offenders back into society. This is also true for many other countries as well …
