Read more about Clyde Shelton at: Wikipedia Official Site: Overture Films Law Abiding Citizen is a 2009 American thriller film directed by F. Gary Gray from a screenplay written by Kurt Wimmer, starring Jamie Foxx and Gerard Butler. The film takes place in Philadelphia and tells the story of a man who decides to exact justice from his family's killers, as well as the criminal justice system. Law Abiding Citizen was released theatrically in North America on October 16, 2009. Clyde Shelton (Gerard Butler), an engineer, witnesses the rape and murder of both his wife and five-year old daughter at the hands of Clarence J. Darby (Christian Stolte) and accomplice Rupert Ames (Josh Stewart), leaving Shelton emotionally scarred. He is told by prosecutor Nick Rice (Jamie Foxx) that the case was compromised by a bungled forensic investigation and Shelton's testimony cannot incriminate either man because he blacked out during the incident. Rice, interested in maintaining his 96% conviction rate, makes a deal with Darby: in return for pleading guilty to third-degree murder, he will provide testimony that will send Ames to death row for what is, essentially, a robbery charge. Shelton is left feeling betrayed. Ten years later, Ames is executed via lethal injection. Due to an alteration in the chemicals, he dies in agonizing pain. Initial evidence leads to Darby, who is alerted to approaching police by a mysterious caller who tells him where a pistol he can use to his advantage is. Shelton made the call, and tells him if he wants to escape the police, he will come to where he is. Upon realizing who the caller is, tries to shoot him, only to be injected with tetrodotoxin, paralyzing him but leaving him fully conscious. After restraining him and making preparations to ensure his prolonged awareness, Shelton slowly tortures and dismembers Darby, saying the words Darby told him 10 years before: "You can't fight fate." It is later revealed that Darby was found in 25 pieces, and after an investigation, Rice and his team suspect Shelton. The SWAT infiltrate Shelton's house to find him waiting for them, and he doesn't resist arrest. In an interrogation cell at the jail, Rice covertly congratulates him for removing Darby from society, then asks for a confession. By all appearances co-operative, Shelton offers a full confession in exchange for a deluxe mattress in his cell; Rice reluctantly agrees. At his hearing, Shelton opposes a motion to deny bail, citing obscure legal precedent. Judge Laura Burch (Annie Corley), who also presided at Ames' trial, agrees, but Shelton launches into a tirade against the court's preference for legal technicalities over justice. He is removed for contempt of court. |
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Clyde Shelton