Presumed Innocent Ending Explained: Who is the Real Killer and What Happened to Rusty?
Presumed Innocent Ending Explained: Based on the novel of the same name by Scott Turow, Presumed Innocent is an Apple TV+ series created by David E. Kelley that tells the story of Rusty Sabich (Jake Gyllenhaal), a Chicago prosecutor who is accused of the horrible murder of his colleague and lover Carolyn Polhemus (Renate Reinsve). As the investigation progresses, more evidence and clues emerge that point to him as the culprit. However, other secrets also come to light that point to other suspects. So, who is the real killer? Below, we tell you what happened to the protagonists of the legal drama.
Deputy District Attorney Rusty Sabich is assigned to investigate on the orders of his boss Raymond Horgan (Bill Camp), who considers him superior to Tommy Molto (Peter Sarsgaard) and believes the case could affect his re-election as District Attorney. Initial leads lead Rusty to Liam Reynolds (Mark Harelik), a prisoner convicted by Sabich and Polhemus, but he comes up empty. He also fails to speak with the victim’s ex-husband, Dalton Caldwell, and his son Michael. Raymond loses the election to Nico Della Guardia (OT Fagbenle) and Tommy becomes the new deputy chief prosecutor and takes on Carolyn’s case. He meets with the protagonist of Presumed Innocent questions him about his affair with the victim, and reveals that she was pregnant. Is Rusty the father? Raymond takes on Rusty’s defense, who opens up to his family before the investigation against him becomes official and the police search his house.
Presumed Innocent: Summary Recap
When Presumed Innocent was released, it immediately became a great best seller, it seemed tailor-made to become a successful film, which promptly happened, thanks to a great director like Alan J. Pakula, to a producer like Sydney Pollack, with a screenplay that he reworked and improved upon the original material. All to the greater glory of an extraordinary cast led in a commendable way by Harrison Ford who gave us one of her best interpretations, together with a Greta Scacchi capable of renewing the concept of the femme fatale, Brian Dennehy and a great Raul Julia. In this 2024, a legal drama and crime expert like David E. Kelley takes us into the life of Rusty (Jake Gyllenhaal), a prosecutor who receives the news from his boss, District Attorney Raymond Horgan (Bill Camp) that his colleague Carolyn Polhemus (Renate Reinsve) was found murdered. We are in the midst of the elections and Horgan asks Rusty to find the culprit, confident that he can oust his former protégé and now rival Nico Della Guardia (OT Fagbenle) and his new right-hand man Tommy Very (Peter Sarsgaard), also a once part of Horgan’s team.
Horgan does not know, however, that Rusty, married for years to Barbara (Ruth Negga) and father of two children, in the past had an affair with Carolyn, of which only he and his wife know, and which almost ended their marriage. However, the investigations are stumbling in the dark, as Rusty is torn apart by feelings of guilt and fear. But when Della Guardia wins the elections (riding the media wave of the unsolved crime) as soon as he becomes the new Prosecutor, he accuses Rusty of the murder. For the protagonist, far from free from ambiguity and secrets, a painful but inevitable marathon will begin to prove his innocence, which will force him to look back at that clandestine love story, at his marriage, to try to understand how and why ended up in the dock. There would be plenty of material in Presumed Innocent to create a great thriller series, the main problem however, is that the final result here is faithful where it is not needed to the novel, totally out of line often in terms of purpose, coherence, themes, and characters. In the end, the whole can only slide into yet another operation which, rather than a rereading, is a real rewriting that is particularly presumptuous and devoid of elegance.
Presumed Innocent Ending Explained: Who is the Real Killer and What Happened to Rusty?
The DNA test comes back positive, Rusty is arrested, and a trial date is set. Amid the chaos, Rusty receives an anonymous message claiming to have been seen at the victim’s house. The prosecutor meets with the sender and discovers that it is Michael, who took several photographs, which are in Tommy and Nico’s possession but are not produced until the judge demands it. What do the photos show? One shows Rusty’s son, Kyle, who claims he only followed his father. Later, however, Barbara Sabich (Ruth Negga) cleans her son’s bike and Kyle tries to get rid of his vehicle. Meanwhile, Tommy talks to Dalton and Michael, who mentions that his mother told him she was afraid of a coworker. Is that Rusty?
More and more evidence against Rusty is emerging. Rusty’s skin is found under Carolyn’s fingernails. However, during the trial, Raymond makes it clear that they did not find skin but traces of his DNA, which could be explained by a simple caress. It also becomes clear that the protagonist of Presumed Innocent could become violent and attack someone in a fit of rage. Both sides use all their resources to win the case. The tension causes Raymond to suffer a heart attack. Although he survives, he is unable to continue defending Rusty, so Mia offers to take his place, however, Rusty decides to defend himself, despite warnings. When he questions Michael, he gives the impression that Dalton and his son are hiding something.
Rusty, Is He Guilty or Innocent?
During the trial, the scales tip both ways at different times, but due to a mistake by Rusty, he is called to testify. Mia suggests he choose the mistrial option, but he insists on going ahead. Although Mia quits, she returns when Raymond is released from the hospital and takes up the case again. Will it be enough to win? Rusty’s testimony doesn’t go well, but Barbara’s testimony might help. However, Mia dismisses it because of her encounters with the man from the bar. The accused decides to give his final testimony and seems to convince the jury. Until Tommy attacks him with everything he has at hand. Finally, the jury gives its verdict: “Not guilty”.
Who is the Real Killer?
At the end of the first season of Presumed Innocent Rusty returns home to his family hoping to rebuild their lives, however, Barbara tells him that she has decided to leave him. At that moment, Rusty reveals that he did what was necessary to protect his family. To his wife’s surprise, he points to her as the one responsible for Carolyn’s murder and confesses that he tied her up that way to try to help her. He also tried to blame Liam Reynolds but was unsuccessful. When Barbara denies everything and accuses him of being crazy, Rusty mentions that he tracked her car and discovered that she was the one who left the iron and the threat at Tommy’s house. However, the real culprit is Jaden Sabich, who confesses that he went to Carolyn’s house to demand that she stay away from his family. Carolyn mentioned her pregnancy and Jaden used the iron from the fireplace to beat her to death. Rusty comforts his daughter and assures her that they will get through this together.
