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BOOK REPORT ON ?THE RUNAWAY JURY? BY JOHN GRISHAM, 1996 ABOUT THE AUTHOR - John Grisham is born on 8 February 1955 in Jonesboro, Arkansas - wanted to be a professional baseball player - in 1981 he graduated from Mississippi State University - he worked for 10 years as a lawyer - in 1983 he was elected to the state House of Representatives and served until 1990 - since 1992 he writes every year one novel - today he lives with his family in Charlottesville, Virginia and Oxford, Mississippi - John Grisham is a sixteenth cousin of former President Bill Clinton BIBLIOGRAPHY A Time to Kill (1989) - also filmed The Testament (1999) The Firm (1991) - also filmed The Brethren (2000) The Pelican Brief (1992) - also filmed A Painted House (2001) - also filmed The Client (1993) - also filmed Skipping Christmas (2001) The Chamber (1994) - also filmed The Summons (2002) The Rainmaker (1995) - also filmed The King of Torts (2003) The Runaway Jury (1996) - also filmed Bleachers (2003) The Partner (1997) The Last Juror (2004) The Street Lawyer (1998) The Broker (2005) IMPORTANT CHARACTERS · Nicholas Easter ? 27 years old, clerk in a Computer Shop, non-smoker, has studied law, born as Jeff Kerr · Marlee ? 30 years old, mysterious person, born as Gabrielle Brant · Rankin Fitch ? middle-aged person, huge like a wardrobe, · Celeste Wood ? widow, plaintiff against the Tobacco Industry because her husband has died because of lung cancer after 30 years of smoking three cigarette packets per day, · Judge Harkin ? 50 years old, former lawyer, now he preside over the trial · Wendall Rohr ? lawyer of Mrs. Wood, · Durwood Cable ? lawyer of the Tobacco Industry, 61 years old STORYOUTLINE · Jacob Wood dies at the age of 51 after smoking 30 years three cigarette packets per day · Four years later Wendall Rohr sues the Tobacco Industry for causing Jacob Woods death · Possible jurors are observed by the accuser and the defence lawyers · Begin of the jury-election at the court, 12 of 200 people are chosen · Begin of thee trial, some experts are interviewed by the accuser · Mysterious girl Marlee contacts Rankin Fitch; she knows some secret details about the jury · The defence puts some jurors indirectly over their relatives under pressure to have influence on them and their decision at the verdict · Nicholas Easter tries to influence the jury from the inner side · After some bad incidents become known the judge decides to isolate the jury to protect them from new efforts to influence them · Rankin Fitch finds out during the trial some further details about Marlee and Nicholas Easter (e.g. their real names) · Marlee blackmails Rankin Fitch: she delivers the verdict and gets 10 million dollars · Further interviews of experts by the defence · Nicholas Easter and Marlee get rid three jurors by hiding forbidden newspapers in their rooms and giving them pills which produce light heart attacks · During the forming of a judgement Nicholas Easter demands $ 1 Billion as fine for the Tobacco Industry and $ 2 Million as compensation for the widow but the jury only agree on $ 400 Million as fine and the $ 2 Million compensation · The verdict is decided with nine to three votes · With this verdict Marlee and Nicholas Easter have cheated Rankin Fitch who has paid for an unanimous verdict in favour for the Tobacco Industry
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