Crimes in the Fletch - Movie Review Example

? Crimes in the movie Fletch This movie Fletch starred by Chevy Chase is based on the life of an investigating reporter, Erwin Fletcher from Los Angeles newspaper. He is a devoted investigative reporter who is hanging around the beach as a beach junkie with the aim of unveiling the drug business and its lords. At the beach, he meets a business person who asks him to kill him so his loving wife inherits the life insurance policy. Fletch the investigative reporter, feels something is wrong and decides to investigate it.in the process of unveiling the truth; he indulges himself in many illegal activities. As much as his intentions are praiseworthy, he still runs into trouble. Scene #1 There is a criminal solicitation in this opening scene. According to Section 5.02 of the Model Penal Code, “an individual is only guilty of solicitation to commit a crime if with the interest of promoting what he supports, encourages or request someone else to participate in that involves committing such a criminal act (Schmalleger, 2010).” It is evident that Stanwyck tries to involve Fletch in a criminal solicitation crime, when he asks Fletch to kill him and end his suffering from cancer and save his insurance for his wife. In this same scene, criminal conspiracy as a crime is evident. When Stanwyck mentions his murder as a way of providing his wife with insurance money, it clearly portrays the conspiracy to commit insurance fraud. According to the Model Penal Code section 5.03, “an individual is guilty of conspiracy with someone else to commit a crime if with the intention of endorsing its plan he agrees to work or help such an individual in planning such a crime (Schmalleger, 2010). Scene #4 In this scene, Fletch doubts the condition of Stanwyck and feels that he is tricking him. To seek the truth behind this, he decides to visit the family doctor of Stanwyck for information who turns him down. Failing to get the information, Fletch disguises as a doctor and sneaks in the hospital to acquire the information. At this juncture, he violates the doctor to patient privileges. According to the Mode Penal Code section 241, impersonating a public servant, “an individual commits a crime if deceptively pretends to work in the public service with the intention of inducing someone else to give in the pretended official power”(Schmalleger, 2010). The second crime is the violation of doctor to patient information. A patient should not be full of fear of revelation and access of his information to someone else by the doctor. When Fletch disguised as a doctor and accessed the information, he committed a crime. Based on Find a Law, “Doctor-patient confidentiality is not supposed to be shared unless with the permission of the patient (Breaches of Doctor to Patient Confidentiality, 2012). If this case was to go to court, Fletch would have no defense, since it is clear that he is going against regulations. Scene #7 Fletch is making a phone call at the beach seeking to know the whereabouts of Stanwyck. He then notices a police approaching them fat. The police chase him and another black guy, gummy. After catching them, the policemen start beating Gummy and force him into the car. On seeing this, Fletch tries to stop the police, but his efforts seem futile. As the police drive away, he throws a stone shuttering the rear mirror of the car. He then goes to the newspaper's office asking for money to return to Uttah. When in Uttah, he contacts Stanwyck’s realtor and gets the truth behind the bought property. He sees that Stanwyck paid $3000 instead of $3000000 as Stanwyck had told his wife. He then decides he needs intelligence and breaks into the realtor’s office to get concrete evidence. Fletch jumps over the fence and gets into the office to get the data. He then takes some photos of the data and gets chased by a guard dog. At the point where the police chase down Gummy, there is clear evidence of excessive use of force, which violates section 3.07 of the Model Penal Code, “usage of force upon or towards another individual is justifiable when the actor makes or assists in making arrests”(Schmalleger, 2010). Since Gummy was taken by force, it constitutes kidnapping der Article 212, section 212.1, which stipulates “a person is guilty of kidnapping if he unlawfully takes another from his residing area or a substantial distance from his original location or if he locks up another in isolation with intentions of injury or terrorism on the victim” (Schmalleger, 2010). Another crime depicted in this scene is abuse of power. According to Joycelyn M. Pollock (2010, p.225), power abuse is physical abuse, which can further be divided into needless force and brutality. She states “brutality occurs when officers impose physical abuse on citizens on a personal score.” Another crime depicted in this’ scene second part is when Fletch breaks in Stanwyck’s realtor’s office and acquired the data. Under the second section 221.2, second paragraph of the Model Penal Code, “an individual commits offense when he enters any place that he is not allowed or privileged to without any pass.” Scene #8 In this scene, there are prevalent attempts to frame Fletch and arrest him. The police accuse him of possession of drugs and forcefully arrest him. The police officers never read Fletch’s Miranda rights during the arrest. The chief of police, Chief Karlin then takes over and threatens Fletch telling him to stay away from the beach and mentions how long he can spend in jail when in possession of narcotics. He even goes as far as pointing a gun at Fletch. The police officers have broken and violated his privacy by waiting for Fletch in his own home. Another crime committed by the police is the use of excessive force and planting of drugs on Fletch. The officers also refused to read Fletch his Miranda rights. According to Joycelyn M. Pollock (2010, p.225) these offenses where officers of the law through their power, chose to omit in order to acquire indecorous financial benefit. Planting of evidence is police corruption, and as mentioned ago, “since 1966, supreme court ruled that failure to read an arrestee his Miranda rights will lead to dropping of charges.” Here, Fletch could demand to drop of charges since the evidence on his was planted. Despite the fact that Fletch has not heard his rights read to him, the Chief goes ahead to interrogate him, and it gets worse when he extorts him to make Fletch collaborate. Chief Karlin makes the interrogation personal. Basing on Joycelyn M. Pollock, (2010, p. 242) “surpassing that which is normal for them to achieve their goal is unlawful arrest in self-defense but, rather, personal retaliation, it is explicated as excessive use of force, and it is wrong and unlawful.” The Chief sends two policemen to apprehend Fletch for his presence in the beach, which he gets in their way. Another crime committed by Chief Karlin and his force is extortion. Use of force and threats to acquire information is theft according to Model Penal Code section 223.4, stating that obtaining information, property through a wrongfully induced force is theft. Scene #11 In this scene, Fletch observes Stanwyck’s moves. He follows him to town and finally sees Stanwyck exchanging conversations in the Chief’s car. On arrival at his home, he notices a couple of police cars waiting for him in the garage of his apartment. He then steals a car from a boy and speeds away to safety. According to Article 2 General Principles of Liability, section 2.02., paragraph C of the Model Penal Code explains that an individual acts recklessly when if fear of his life even though conscious of the offenses he commits. This can be used be Fletch as an excuse to avoid fines and speed tickets because he feared for his life from the crooked cops. Scene #15 Fletch sneaks into Stanwyck compound noticing the fuel that Stanwyck had bought to burn Fletch’s body after Stanwyck killed him. Fletch the finds his way into the room where they had their meeting at the start of the movie. To his amazement, he finds Stanwyck there holding a gun on him. Here, Stanwyck can be held on charges of an effort to commit a crime if he does not die. Just before his death, the Chief Karlin walks in and starts arguing over the money and Stanwyck gets shot by Chief Karlin. Before Karlin reacts, Fletch grabs him while fighting for the gun. Mrs. Stanwyck hits the police chief at the back of the head kicking him out. Another crime is the chief killing Stanwyck. The Model Penal Code 210: Criminal Homicide, section 210.0, paragraph four states, “ deadly weapon are any firearm or any other weapon whether inanimate of animate, which in the form it is used or intended to be used is known to be able to kill or injure badly”(Schmalleger, 2010). Chief Karlin commits first degree murder because he shoots to kill Stanwyck with his duty gun. Conclusion The movie Fletch is informative, entertaining and full of fun. It bends ones normal thinking on and boots ones analysis on identifying elements that make a situation a crime. The scenes are epic and drama full but also help understand the course. Reference Mcdonald, G. (1974). Fletch. Indianapolis: Bobbs-Merrill. Read More