SPOILER ALERT: This post contains spoilers from “The Witness,” the seventh episode of the limited series “ Presumed Innocent ,” now streaming on Apple TV+. Even without a law degree, most people know it’s a bad idea to take the witness stand when you’re on trial for murder. But Rusty Sabich (Jake Gyllenhaal) must’ve missed that day in law school.
In the penultimate episode of Apple TV+’s “Presumed Innocent,” created by David E. Kelley, former ADA Rusty decides the best way to fight for his life is to represent himself in court and take the stand to answer questions from lead prosecutor (and his work rival) Tommy Molto (Peter Sarsgaard). All of this happens in a matter of minutes after Raymond Horgan (Bill Camp), Rusty’s original lawyer, has a heart attack and nearly dies in the middle of the courtroom –– a rather important deviation from Scott Turow’s 1987 book on which the series is based.
Rusty valiantly jumps to his friend’s aid in front of the jury, a sympathetic reflex that complicates the prosecution’s case that he is the cold-blooded killer of his mistress Carolyn (Renate Reinsve). Tommy and District Attorney Nico Della Guardia (O-T Fagbenle) fear they have lost the jury with that heroism, and push for a mistrial. But Rusty is arrogant enough to keep going as his own counsel, a wildly reckless action that sidelines Raymond’s smart second chair, Mya (Gabby Beans).
When the time comes to take the stand, Rusty must put his self-generated .