A Murder of Crows

After many successful years as a criminal defense attorney, Lawrence Russell finally succumbs to his own conscience and verbally attacks one of his own clients in court. As a result, the defendant is found guilty and Lawrence is disbarred.

Happy to now be free of the burden of defending people whom he knows are guilty and unrepentant, Lawrence sets about making a new life for himself. He decides to write a book but can't get started so he spends his days drinking and dreaming instead. One day he meets a man who gives him a manuscript about a man who murders five defense lawyers, and asks him to read it over and give an opinion. When the man dies suddenly, Lawrence makes the fateful decision to put his own name on the novel and submit it for publication. A Murder of Crows is a huge success. However, it also turns out to be a true story and as the "author", Lawrence becomes the prime suspect for the murders.

Lawrence Russell did the right thing in obeying his conscience to quit as a defense attorney, but when the rewards he hoped for, like success as a writer, did not materialize  he disobeyed his conscience by putting his name to a manuscript which he did not write. The consequences of his decision were life threatening.

Lesson 1: the rewards for doing the right thing are not always immediate or obvious. Lesson 2: Making a decision for good at one time in your life does not make it any less likely that you won't make a bad decision at another time.

When have you learned the truth of lessons 1 & 2?