In my script a cop wants to arrest some people on suspicion of a crime. This leads to the person resisting arrest, and by shooting it with the cops, as well as a chase. One of them gets caught, and the others get away. However, I want him to get off for the crime, thereby leading the police to have to come up with other means of catching him. He gets off cause the attempted arrest was unlawful. I did some research and their are some laws that says a citizen can kill to prevent an unlawful arrest. Like in this article here:
http://www.constitution.org/uslaw/defunlaw.htm
But the question is, how far can you take this to the point where an audience would believe it? Obviously I can fill in the holes, such as, all the guns the perps own were legal and permitted, but then they speed off a drive away, and endanger civilians, and what not. So how far can I take it where a judge would still let them off, because the cops did not have probable cause, and therefore, the arrest would be unlawful? Also, they would have get off, even though they created public danger, and would have to argue, it was just self defense, from being illegally arrested.
Basically I want to write it in a way, in which there is a shoot out/chase, cause that's what audiences like. If every villain went quietly without a fight in movies, then audiences would agree that that would have ruined the movie for them. They want villains who fight back. If in Dirty Harry for example, of the villain, surrendered to Harry immediately and told him everything, and Harry didn't feel compelled to shoot him in the leg, most audiences would agree that the movie wouldn't be near as good.
So I need to write it so that he gets off, but you still have that shootout and chase scenario, that audiences are looking for in a thriller.
http://www.constitution.org/uslaw/defunlaw.htm
But the question is, how far can you take this to the point where an audience would believe it? Obviously I can fill in the holes, such as, all the guns the perps own were legal and permitted, but then they speed off a drive away, and endanger civilians, and what not. So how far can I take it where a judge would still let them off, because the cops did not have probable cause, and therefore, the arrest would be unlawful? Also, they would have get off, even though they created public danger, and would have to argue, it was just self defense, from being illegally arrested.
Basically I want to write it in a way, in which there is a shoot out/chase, cause that's what audiences like. If every villain went quietly without a fight in movies, then audiences would agree that that would have ruined the movie for them. They want villains who fight back. If in Dirty Harry for example, of the villain, surrendered to Harry immediately and told him everything, and Harry didn't feel compelled to shoot him in the leg, most audiences would agree that the movie wouldn't be near as good.
So I need to write it so that he gets off, but you still have that shootout and chase scenario, that audiences are looking for in a thriller.
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