Terrorism and the Prosecution of the Innocent

Rating: 10/10 (31 May 2009)

"In the Name of the Father," seen today, is a useful reminder of how a great democracy can besmirch its own ideals in order to identify, torture and prosecute suspects in a terrorist incident even if they are completely innocent. Gerry Conlon of Belfast just happens to be in London with friends when a bomb explodes in a pub, killing innocent Britons. Although Conlon is innocent and the police have found a witness who corroborated his story, he is convicted of murder and sent to prison along with his friends and members of his family, considered accessories. Gerry and his father Giuseppe, an Irishman with an Italian first name, portrayed by Pete Postlethwaite, end up in prison together, and much of the film revolves around father-son conflict and eventual reconciliation prior to the father's death, hastened by abusive prison treatment. Eventually, a British lawyer (Emma Thompson) takes up their case and, by luck, discovers a file "not to be shown to the defense" which confirms that police found Conlon's witness and had his statement confirming Conlon's alibi. The prisoners are ordered released after 15 years while the police who gave false evidence against them are acquitted. The terrorism committed by the Irish Republican Army was deadly. Mistreatment of suspects by investigators was routine. And violation of the Rule of Law was forgiven by British juries. Unbelievable? Unfortunately not.