Find Me Guilty

PLOT

It's the late 1980s and low-level mobster Jackie DiNorscio (Vin Diesel) has just been shot by his junkie cousin Tony Compagna (Raúl Esparza), but refuses to press charges against him to police. Jackie soon gets arrested and is sentenced to thirty years on an unrelated drug bust.

Tony, afraid of reprisals from the extended mob family run by Nick Calabrese (Alex Rocco), agrees to be a government witness for district attorney Sean Kierney (Linus Roache), who intends to bring down dozens of organized crime figures all at once. Kierney tries to bribe Jackie to be a government witness as well, but it's not in the gregarious Jackie's nature to be a rat.

That sets in motion a massive court case where Jackie, Nick and dozens of other mobsters are tried together for a countless number of crimes in front of presiding Judge Sidney Finestein (Ron Silver). Upset with his current lawyer, who couldn't even keep him from doing a 30-year stretch, Jackie turns down an offer to be represented by lead defense attorney Ben Klandis (Peter Dinklage) and decides to represent himself in court, despite having no legal background or any real knowledge of how to proceed.

Jackie's mischievous and vulgar manner amuses the jury on occasions but persistently irritates the judge, lawyers, witnesses, and defendants, including his friends from the mob. As weeks turn into months, the court case evolves into a marathon affair. Ben begins to believe that maybe Jackie could be effective, but Nick Calabrese is furious and Judge Finestein repeatedly threatens the charismatic mobster with contempt of court.

Jackie's estranged wife, Bella (Annabella Sciorra), visits him in jail, where he is becoming increasingly frustrated. Guards spy on him and prosecuting attorneys remove his favorite chair, causing considerable pain to Jackie's injured back.

He apologizes to the court and tries to mind his manners in the end. The prosecutors and the defense return to their offices expecting the jury to deliberate for at least a week. However, the jury comes to a decision after only 14 hours of deliberation. The jury reaches a verdict of not guilty for all. The entire courtroom reaches pandemonium as the family celebrates. The entire family hugs the twelve jury members as they leave. Meanwhile, Jackie is the only one bound for jail, returning there to finish his sentence. Jackie is welcomed as a hero in the correctional facility, where fellow prisoners chant "Jackie" and extend their hands in tribute to a man who refused to compromise his family for his life.

CAST

Vin Diesel as Jackie DiNorscio

Peter Dinklage as Ben Klandis

Linus Roache as Sean Kierney (Samuel Alito)

Ron Silver as Judge Sidney Finestein

Annabella Sciorra as Bella DiNorscio

Alex Rocco as Nick Calabrese (Anthony Accetturo)

Jerry Adler as Rizzo

Raúl Esparza as Tony Compagna

Richard Portnow as Max Novardis

Aleksa Palladino as Marina DiNorscio

Robert Stanton as Chris Newberger

Marcia Jean Kurtz as Sara Stiles

Domenick Lombardozzi as Jerry McQueen

Josh Pais as Harry Bellman

Peter McRobbie as Peter Petraki

Chuck Cooper as James Washington

Frank Pietrangolare as Carlo Mascarpone (Michael Taccetta)

Richard DeDomenico as Tom "Nappy" Napoli

Jerry Grayson as Jimmy "The Jew" Katz

Tony Ray Rossi as Joe Bellini

Vinny Vella as Graziedei

Paul Borghese as Gino Mascarpone (Martin Taccetta)

Frank Adonis as Phil Radda

Nick Puccio as Alessandro Tedeschi

Frankie Perrone as Henry Fiuli

Salvatore Paul Piro as Mike Belaggio

James Biberi as Frank Brentano

Oscar A. Colon as Pissaro

Ben Lipitz as Henry Kelsey

Steven Randazzo as Chris Cellano

Gerry Vichi as Theodore

Louis Guss as Court Clerk

Gene Ruffini as Giacomo DiNorscio, Sr.

Roger Zamudio as Octavio Juarez

Terry Serpico as Michael Kerry

Mark Kachersky as Agent Brandon

Frank Lentini as Charley Kraus

Antoni Corone as Detective

Dennis Paladino as Sylvester

David Brown as US Marshall #1

Louis Mustillo as US Marshall #2

John DiBenedetto as Jesse

Eddie Marrero as Guard

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

based on the true story of the longest Mafia trial in American history

Much of the courtroom testimony was taken from the original court transcripts.