Proven Innocent Finale
The case of the people of Illinois versus Madeline Scott will now come to order… My recap of the Proven Innocent finale…
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Opening Statement
People of the jury. Madeline is facing off for her freedom once again but we will prove that she still isn’t guilty.
First of all, all the evidence that Bellows and the prosecution team has is circumstantial. The so called murder weapon doesn’t have any DNA evidence at all.
The expert witnesses could only state that the fragments and the bruising was consistent with the lantern but never once stated it was the exact lantern.
I will admit though that this does not make the case any easier as it was Madeline’s old lantern and she did have it when she found Rosemary’s body.
Prosecution calls Heather Husband to the stand
Heather says that she followed Madeline and Rosemary that night. Heather also goes on to tell us about Madeline being high that night.
But Easy easily shot down her whole story by asking why she didn’t mention drugs or following them at the first trial.
A recess and the case crumbling
Sarah and Linda refuse to take the stand after receiving a video of their sexual conduct while in the cult and being told if they testified they would release the video.
Judge Cohen says no
Trying to get a mistrial due to apparent witness tampering didn’t go so well for them.
Though the reaction from Heather when she mentioned the tapes started raising doubt in her part of Rosemary’s murder.
Levi takes the stand
Seeing Levi on the stand was hard but he proved his loyalty. When questioned by Bellows all he said is he didn’t remember.
And even when the judge threatened to lock him up he just told her too.
Honestly I’m glad that Levi wasn’t a snitch and finally got to be Madeline’s big brother and caretaker.
Heather comes for a visit
Low and behold the queen bee herself, Heather comes knocking on Madeline’s door. She also drops the bomb that she had received a video as well.
She also apologized to Madeline for everything that she had been through.
This was a very big surprise for me as I was sure that Heather had killed Rosemary to get more attention, but I would be proved very wrong.
Heather turned out to be very useful. She let us know that Toby Kissell who had committed suicide a few months back, was in leagues with Ravi. And that if anyone had access to the videos Ravi took of her and the other girls, it would’ve been him.
She also tells Madeline that Rosemary was supposed to bring Madeline to Ravi but she refused.
I love the fact that Madeline told Heather that she doesn’t know if she can ever forgive her for what she did but that she is sorry that she went through that.
This also destroyed my season long theory it was Heather. Only thing I knew for sure is that Ravi killed Rosemary and that he was probably someone they knew.
A breakthrough
Our ace investigator, Bodie and brilliant analyst and pod caster violet found something of use when going through Toby Kissell’s stuff.
They found the videos and low and behold on one of them was Rosemary. They had their ace in the hole.
The defense calls Rosemary Lynch to the stand
After letting the courtroom calm down the video of Rosemary talking to Toby about drugging Madeline, in which Toby replies that she needs no drugs because Madeline is in love with him, but Rosemary said that wasn’t it that it was so she wouldn’t sleep with Ravi.
As she told Toby about it though the camera shuts off as she acknowledges that Ravi was there.
The emotion on Madeline’s face was hard to watch. She kept a strong demeanor but you could tell she just wanted to break down.
Let’s end this case
After a ravishing speech by Easy about Rosemary just wanting to protect her friend from a predator, it was Bellows turn to start closing arguments.
Bellows tries to twist the narrative
Telling the jury that instead of probing Madeline’s innocence it proved her motive.
She was in love with Toby and when she found out Rosemary was sleeping with him, in a drugged induced rage, she murdered her best friend.
I love the fact that Bellows is just evil until the end. He sticks to his guns and beliefs that’s for sure.
Madeline stands up for herself
Madeline decides to make herself her own council. In her closing arguments she tells the jury that Rosemary taught her the true meaning of friendship and sacrifice. She also finished by reiterating that she was innocent.
Though I like the fact they gave Madeline her own platform, I would’ve liked to see Easy get the win again.
Three days
Madeline goes to see Bellows and tells him that the jury has been deliberating for three days and that she forgives him. That he was doing his job.
A snake till the end
On her way out, Bellows offers a deal of manslaughter and that she would only serve five years out of fifteen for time already served.
She of course doesn’t take it and leaves.
The verdict
Madam foreman, will you read the verdict.
The people of Illinois find Madeline Elizabeth Scott not guilty.
And with that Bellows leaves the courtroom while a tearful and happy Madeline hugs her family and friends.
Now maybe it’s just me, and I know she has a girlfriend in Wren but her and Easy seemed to be radiating some strong feelings for one another.
Learning who Ravi is
We are finally here. We finally learn who Ravi was pretending to be now that they figured out he was alive and it’s none other than Bellows campaign manager, Rick Zahn.
Going to Bellows with this information
Madeline takes this news to Bellows who states he figured it out that morning.
Madeline, upset and probably ready to strangle him starts to leave. Bellows apologizes to Madeline for being wrong all those years.
I truly think Bellows was just doing what he felt was right. That he knew the truth and that was Madeline Scott was guilty,
Bellows and Zahn
Bellows calls a meeting with Zahn at the very quarry that Rosemary was killed.
Bellows lets Zahn know that he knows he was Ravi and that he raped the girls and killed Rosemary.
Zahn threatens to take Bellows down with him but instead Bellows shows Zahn the bottom of the quarry when he pushes him to his death off the roof.
Now, one can argue Bellows did this to cover his own ass. I don’t disagree but I also think he was sickened by what he did to those young girls and it was his way of also paying Madeline and Levi back for all the pain he put them through.
Bellows gets his win
Bellows gets one win though and that is he becomes attorney general of Illinois.
In his press conference he says that Zahn was behind Rosemary’s murder and that he had committed suicide instead of facing justice. He also publicly apologizes to Levi and Madeline.
Madeline and the team don’t quite believe that Zahn committed suicide and Madeline even suggests Bellows might’ve killed him.
I think if there’s a season two it would be interesting if Bellows was the one prosecuted.
In the end
Madeline and the team continue their quest to bring justice to the wrongfully accused.
We also find out that Nathan has to go back to living with his birth mother but Bodie swears that he will be seeing a lot of them. He also promises Nikki that they will watch very closely and the minute her sister slips up they will bring Nathan home.
I honestly don’t believe that Nikki is the saint she pretends to be. I think she uses her sisters pain and problems to have the son she hasn’t been able to have on her own.
Final thoughts
I really hope that this show is picked up for a second season as there are so many more stories to tell.
So many real world issues are shown in a realistic and entertaining way. They teach lessons without being overly preachy about it.
I also want to see if I’m right about Nikki, thought I would feel bad for Bodie and Nathan if it is.
Until next time, court is adjourned.
UPDATED:
A few hours after the initial posting of my review, FOX announced the cancellation of Proven Innocent. It’s sad news, but watching the ratings over the past few months – a second season was always a long shot.
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