Functions Of Law In A Time To Kill

1. “A Time to Kill” demonstrates the functions of law throughout the film. One example of this is how law portrays right and wrong. In the film, the authorities arrest the two redneck men because they raped a ten year old girl, and that breaks the law in two occasions; Sexual assault and intercourse with a minor. The law states that both sexual assault and intercourse with a minor is wrong. A second of example of the functions of law is how law protects society. In the film, the father of the rape victim is so distraught and outraged that he storms into the courthouse with an assault rifle and murders the two men who raped his daughter. He also accidentally injured a police officer in the shooting. He is then arrested because vigilantism is illegal. As understandable as the shooting may have been, by bringing a loaded weapon into the courthouse and firing rounds, he risked the lives of everyone that courthouse and became a threat to society. A third example of the functions of law is …show more content…
The first rule of law is that everyone needs to accept that the law is necessary. This was not demonstrated in the movie, as the father of the rape victim did not trust the legal system, denied the need for it and decided to take matters into his own hands and kill the two rapists. He believed that because he and his daughter were black and the rapists were white, the rapists would have been set free. He did not accept that the law was necessary and had to be followed. The second rule of law is that no one is above the law. In the movie, this is not demonstrated as they make reference to a past case where four white males raped a young black girl, and were set free. Those men should have been charge, but were treated “above the law”. The third rule of law is that no one can take away your rights, unless in accordance with the law. This was demonstrated in the movie, as when the two rapists were arrested they had their rights taken away in accordance with the law and were