Courtroom clichés

Trending on Twitter now is the Supreme Court’s decision on the Vizconde Massacre case. 19 and a half years ago, a 47-year-old mother and her two daughters, aged 18 and 7, were stabbed to death in the Paranaque City, Philippines home.  The young girl had the most stab wounds (19). The older daughter was first raped before she was killed.

The case became the most sensational case in the 90s because the accused were sons of high-profile politicians, military officers, businessmen, lawyers and celebrities. The lower courts convicted them after a grueling trial.  They then served 15 years in the National Penitentiary.

A movie on the massacre was produced and directed by Carlo J. Caparas – The Vizconde  Massacre.  And its blurb goes, God Help Us!  It was awful, but it made money. Kris Aquino was crowned the ‘Queen of Massacre Movies’.  Two decades later, Caparas became National Artist.  Such bizarre circumstances deserve a separate entry.

Early, this morning, the Supreme Court acquitted all of the accused.  I haven’t read the full SC decision, and cannot as yet give an enlightened opinion on the matter.  I suspect, though, that it was the ineptness of the police investigation that set the accused free.  The question remains though: Who murdered the Vizcondes?  Clearly, there were no other suspects.

Expect more high drama to hug the news in the next few days.  In the Philippines, the fireworks happen when the trial is over, not during litigation.  After all, real-life lawyers aren’t as articulate as John Grisham’s characters.  It’s so different from what we see in Hollywood movies.  And Hollywood always pictures it this way.

1. The prosecuting lawyer is always the bad guy. 
2. The defense lawyer is brilliant, but ill-tempered and flawed off-court.
3. The defendants and lawyers are romantically linked.
4. Favorite line: I’ll see you in my chambers.
5. A surprise witness appears near the end of the trial and turns the tide.

Here’s a clip from a clichéd courtroom drama, spoofed and made even sillier by folks in my industry.