Jagged Edge

A masked intruder breaks into Page Forrester's beach house in San Francisco, ties Page to her bed, rips open her shirt, and kills her with a hunting knife, while the maid is also murdered. The brutal break-in sets off a murder investigation that will draw in Page's social circle and a high-stakes legal battle. The crime establishes the central mystery that drives the film.

Following Page's murder, her husband Jack Forrester is arrested as a suspect. He immediately tries to hire high-profile lawyer Teddy Barnes to defend him, seeking one of the few attorneys who can handle the case. The arrest propels Barnes back toward criminal defense and into a case with personal and political stakes.

Barnes remains reluctant to defend Forrester because of a previous clash with district attorney Krasny, her former boss who forced her out of criminal law. The case promises intense scrutiny and personal cost. Her hesitation sets up the eventual decision to return to defense despite the risk.

Krasny informs Barnes that prisoner Henry Styles hanged himself, a revelation that distresses her and adds a personal burden to the case. The development reinforces the sense that the DA's office may be mismanaging crucial information. Barnes's emotions complicate her view of Forrester’s guilt.

Barnes visits Sam Ransom, a private detective who used to work for Krasny, and he provides a different perspective on the case. Their exchange hints at how the defense might approach the evidence. Barnes leaves the meeting more open to taking the case.

After weighing the information from Ransom, Barnes decides to defend Forrester. The choice marks her return to criminal law and sets the stage for the courtroom battle ahead.

Barnes and Forrester prepare for the trial and grow closer, culminating in them sleeping together. The affair adds tension to the defense as the trial approaches. The personal dynamic complicates Barnes's judgment and strategy.

The office starts receiving anonymous letters containing non-public case details. Forensic analysis reveals the notes were typed on a 1942 Corona typewriter, hinting at inside information and possibly who is trying to influence the case. Barnes grows paranoid about the defendant's guilt.

In a pre-trial meeting, Barnes tells the judge that Krasny has a history of not meeting discovery obligations. The prosecution's case hinges on circumstantial evidence, and two key witnesses are discredited by Barnes. The defense starts to reveal cracks in the prosecution's narrative.

Krasny calls Eileen Avery and Bobby Slade to testify; Slade describes Page's relationship with Forrester and his manipulation of women, echoing Barnes's own concerns about the defendant. Barnes recognizes parallels to her own experience and feels a mounting doubt about guilt. The testimonies test the defense's resolve.

Another anonymous note claims Page's killer is innocent and points to Julie Jensen in Santa Cruz on January 21, 1984. Barnes arranges for Jensen to testify about a similar attack, with details matching Page's case, though Jensen's attacker seemed to stop himself. The note also reveals Krasny's office had investigated the attack and not disclosed it.

In chambers, the judge threatens Krasny with disbarment and admonishes him for withholding information. Krasny insists his theory that Forrester planned the murder, and wrote the anonymous letters, should reach the jury, but the judge forbids it. The jury ultimately finds Forrester not guilty.

Barnes publicly reveals that Krasny suppressed exonerating evidence, a move that triggers her departure from the DA's office. Krasny reacts with disgust as the verdict is delivered and the case closes.

Barnes goes to Forrester's house to celebrate, and they sleep together again. The next afternoon she discovers a 1942 Corona typewriter in a closet and flees with it, realizing the evidence still links to the killer.

A masked intruder breaks into Barnes's bedroom; she shoots him several times as he attacks. Ransom arrives and unmasks the attacker: Forrester, revealing the true killer and closing the loop on the mystery.