Illegal

Early in his career, Scott is mentored by Ellen Miles's father on his deathbed, who asks him to promise to protect Ellen. This pledge shapes Scott's sense of duty and loyalty throughout the story. The arrangement foreshadows the tension between personal affection and professional obligation that runs through the plot.

Victor Scott prosecutes the sensational murder case of Gloria Benson with a commanding courtroom performance. The jury convicts the defendant and the judge sentences Edward Clary to death by electric chair (not shown). The victory boosts Scott's political ambitions and signals his rising power in the D.A.'s office.

At the very hour of Clary's execution, a dying declarant, shot by police during the crime, confesses to Benson's murder. The declaration is admitted as legitimate, but it provides no motive for the crime. Scott desperately attempts to halt the execution, but the order goes through.

The death of an innocent man unsettles Scott and prompts his resignation from the D.A.'s office. He sinks into alcoholism and is shunned by former allies, drinking away his former influence. The case becomes a turning point in his career and in his personal life.

While appearing drunk in court on a disorderly charge, Scott encounters a man implicated in a fatal brawl and chooses to defend him. He publicly challenges a very large prosecution witness, and then sucker-punches him with a concealed roll of nickels, knocking him out. The dismissed case marks Scott's abrupt transition to a successful defense attorney.

Scott takes on a client connected to crime boss Frank Garland, accused of murder by poison. He wins by drinking from the poison bottle and resting his case, planning to force a recess so he can reach a doctor before the poison does its work. The victory deepens a dangerous, uneasy alliance with Garland while the office's integrity remains eroded.

An ongoing leak between the D.A.'s office and Garland is revealed to be Ellen's husband, Ray Borden. Ellen confronts him and kills Borden in self-defense. The new D.A. mistakenly believes Ellen was the leak and prosecutes her, prompting Scott to defend his former ally.

During a lunch recess, Scott has his secretary mail his confidential case notes to herself as protection against being killed. He then meets Garland, who asks him to throw the case to avoid implicating him. Garland's men follow Scott and shoot him, but the hitman is killed by the D.A.'s agents before completing the job.

Scott calls Angel O'Hara, who has been living with Garland, and she testifies that Borden spoke to Garland regularly and arranged the call that led to Ellen learning of the leak. The testimony helps clear Ellen of the charges, though Scott's injuries leave him physically weakened. He collapses as the courtroom scene advances toward resolution.

The testimony ties Borden to Garland and undermines the prosecution's case against Ellen. Scott's effort to rescue Ellen culminates in her exoneration, even as his own condition worsens. The case underscores the corrosive influence of crime and corruption on justice.

Though Ellen is cleared, Scott's relentless pursuit of justice ends with him collapsing from his injuries. The public and former allies look on as he contemplates the cost of his career. The film closes on a somber note, balancing personal cost with the sliver of justice achieved.