Richard Castle: Hell Hath No Fury
This week’s episode, Hell Hath No Fury, starts off with a scene featuring Medical Examiner Lanie Parrish, played by Tamala Jones, who consistently dishes out terrible forensic information along with excruciatingly bad acting. She’d have been voted off American Idol a long time ago. In fact, the show would probably fare better if they replaced their Mickey Mouse Club M.E.
M.E. Lanie Parrish
Parrish’s first comment references a bullet wound that she knows, without forensic testing, was inflicted by a .38 caliber round. Sorry, you can’t tell the exact type bullet by looking at the entrance and exit wounds at the scene. What say you Mr. Cowell?
Detective Beckett is again seen grilling a murder suspect with his attorney present. Defense attorneys do not allow their clients to be raked over the coals. If they do, you should hire another. Besides, a good defense attorney won’t allow his client to speak with police at this stage of the game. Simon?
Castle made a date with a hooker, who was a possible suspect or witness in a murder investigation. Detective Beckett tells the crime-fighting novelist that it’s a bad idea. Castle’s comment? “I’m not a police officer, so it’s okay.” Well, that’s not exactly true in all instances. If someone is acting on the behalf of the police they’re considered an agent of the police, which means their actions could result in entrapment. What do you think, Randy?
“Well, you know I used to work with Mariah, but I don’t know about this one, Dawg. I just don’t know.”
The actual meeting with the hooker, Tiffany, went well. Castle brought Det. Beckett along to conduct the questioning. This was believable.
Beckett told a suspect they could go down for conspiracy to commit murder, which carries the same penalty as a murder conviction. In many areas this is true. Conspiracy to commit a crime can, in fact, carry the same penalty as the actual crime.
“Props to you, Baby. I got mad love for this one.”
Officers arrested the murder suspect, the wife, and immediately began spouting off the Miranda warning – You have the right to remain silent, etc. NO, NO, NO! Police officers aren’t required to advise anyone of their rights unless they’re going to question them. You do NOT start reading Miranda warnings to suspects the second the cuffs are placed on the wrists. This one even angered William “She Bangs” Hung.
Still, the show was good. Even Castle’s mother (another character who should get the boot) made a nice remark about Harper Lee.
Now I did not know that about the Miranda business. That is truly worth knowing.
Done, Robin. Thanks. I hadn’t noticed where I was filing the Castle reviews. In fact, there are many blog posts filed incorrectly. It’s time for spring cleaning.
Yes, unfortunately, Beckett did lower her weapon in that scene.
I agree. The show is fun. I just don’t want writers to get sucked into believing the procedure is fact. If so, we’ll start seeing more of this stuff in novels. More importantly, I’d hate to see editors believing this stuff. They’re already stuck on CSI and Law and Order.
The above confrontation with knife wielding suspect would be by Beckett, not the ME. Just in case anyone is wondering…
Having been gone for a while, I had to go back and read your other Castle entries. If you are going to do a week-by-week play on this, it needs its own category. Police Procedural-Castle. Then latecomers like me can catch up without sorting through the other stuff.
Complaint over.
Love the commentary. Like you, I think the ME is the weak link. Standing in the water? Claiming cause of death before the autopsy? At least preface it with: I’ll know more when the autopsy is complete. But right now it *appears* that the cause of death is…”
And I have to take issue with episode where she confronts the knife wielding suspect. Sure, her dialog was good, but please tell me she didn’t really lower her gun and give up her point of advantage just to sweet talk a murderer into not killing herself? Hello? You know darn well your gun would have been pointed at her the entire time while you negotiated the gun from the girl’s hand.
I like the show. It is getting better with each episode. Bad procedure aside, it is just plain fun! And reading your account afterward is even more fun. Do keep it in a separate category! Too good to get lost in the myriad of other procedural posts.
Dave – Thanks for the back up, especially since you’re a pro at interview and interrogation.
Rhonda – A few defense attorneys save the “acting like a lump” for the courtroom.
Bobby – Hey, we here at The Graveyard Shift spare no expense when it comes to quality. William Hung is a legend.
Good Analysis Lee. And glad to see that The AI judges are always so willing to lend you a hand. But, William Hung? REALLY?!?!?! I bet you had to pull a lot of strings for that one.
What always amazes me is how defense attorneys sit there like lumps in the interrogation rooms while the detectives make their plays. Plus, the lawyers let their clients sit there while the cops go at them.
Yup – that’s gonna happen.
Good morning, Lee.
I remember thinking last week that they needed a new tech advisor on the ME aspects.
And I’m glad you had the chance to, once again, discredit the Hollywood practice of Miranda being read during the arrest process. I HATE that. For one thing, it’s better done in the calm of an interrogation room, on video (or audio) to eliminate the suspect’s later claim that he was not read Miranda, or invoked his rights, which were denied.
More importantly, spontaneous admissions or statements from a suspect are admissable. Suspects will often make admissions or important statements without being asked. Reading Miranda when you don’t have to will often shut them down, and you lose that spontaneous statement.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard a suspect begin to make an incriminating statement and a young officer will say “Wait, I have to read you your rights.” Talk about a potentially violent situation!
I really enjoy this after “Castle” analysis. You nail it every week.