The Conspirator

Movie: The Conspirator

Genre: historical drama

Synopsis: This is the story of the trial of Mary Surratt (Robin Wright) as a conspirator in the assassination of Lincoln.  She is defended by Frederick Aiken (James McAvoy) and tried by a military tribunal. The evidence against Mary is thin, to say the least – but someone had to be punished . . .

My two cents: A fascinating movie.  Until this movie, I had never heard of any conspiracy trial related to the assassination of Lincoln.  The arguments made for trying a civilian by a military tribunal sounded like they could have come straight out of the law firm of Cheney, Rumsfeld and Ashcroft.   There was the classic conflict between those who felt that the end (giving the country closure over the assassination) justified the means (trampling all over an individual’s civil rights) versus those who hold the individual’s constitutional rights to be sacred and untouchable.  It definitely gives you food for thought.  Although it is easy to see both sides, the movie definitely comes down on the side of the individual/  I am just mystified how I managed to go my whole life without hearing about this trial.

[79]