Introduction

Presumed Innocent by Scott Turow is a famous American legal thriller novel. It tells the story of a prosecutor who is accused of murdering his female colleague. The book was first published in 1987 and marked Turow's debut as a novelist. A sequel, Innocent, was published in 2010. Since then, Scott Turow has become a best-selling author with 13 fiction novels and three non-fiction works.

Presumed Innocent was first adapted into a 1990 film directed by Alan J. Pakula and starring Harrison Ford. In 2024, the novel was adapted again into an AppleTV+ television show created by David E. Kelly and starring Jake Gyllenhaal. 

Plot Summary

Rusty Sabich, Chief Deputy Prosecuting Attorney of Kindle County, is on his way to the funeral of Carolyn Polhemus, an assistant prosecuting attorney who was murdered three days prior. Rusty was close with Carolyn, as the two had previously had an affair after working together on a case. 

After the funeral, Rusty returns to the office and meets his friend, Lipranzer, to discuss Carolyn's murder, where it appears that Carolyn has been sexually assaulted, tied in ropes, and killed by a blow to her skull. Lipranzer theorizes that Carolyn was killed in revenge by somebody she once convicted, but Rusty is unsure. Rusty then returns home to his son, Nat, and wife, Barbara, who knows about Carolyn and Rusty's affair and is furious over his assignment to her investigation. 

At work, Rusty finds out that Della Guardia, who is running for Prosecuting Attorney, and Tommy Molto, a coworker, are privately investigating Carolyn's case. They discover phone records showing a series of recurring calls from Carolyn's home to Rusty's, which he asks to ignore.

Raymond Horgan, the current Prosecuting Attorney, loses to Della Guardia in the election. The next day, Rusty is informed that he is being accused of murdering Carolyn, primarily based on his fingerprints found on a glass at the crime scene.

Rusty hires lawyers Stern and Kemp to represent him. The trial begins, and Della Guardia's opening statement is shaky and unprepared. The prosecution's case strengthens as the trial progresses, with evidence such as telephone records and carpet fibers linking Rusty to Carolyn's apartment. However, the prosecution still cannot find the missing glass.

In the final week, the prosecution's case falls apart after Stern and Kemp produce evidence that discredits the prosecution's key findings. Judge Lyttle dismisses the case and acquits Rusty due to insufficient evidence.

Months later, Rusty is still dealing with the emotional repercussions of the trial. Barbara confirms Rusty's suspicions that she was the one to kill Carolyn and tells him that she is moving to Detroit with Nat. After she leaves, Lipranzer comes to visit and reveals that he was in possession of the missing glass all along. Rusty tells him how Barbara committed the murder and framed Rusty but insists that, for the sake of their son, he will never tell anyone else what happened. 

One year after Carolyn's murder, Rusty starts his career over by beating Della Guardia in the election for prosecuting attorney. He reflects on his affair and the eventual murder, determining in the end that it all began with his desire to escape the shadow that was his own life.