A Case of Deadly Force

A Case of Deadly Force
Written by	Lawrence O'Donnell (book "Deadly Force") (as Lawrence O'Donnell Jr.)
Directed by	Michael Miller
Starring	Richard Crenna John Shea Lorraine Toussaint
Theme music composer	Paul Chihara
Country of origin	United States
Original language	English
Production
Producers	Kenneth Kaufman (executive producer) Michael Lepiner (executive producer) Dennis Nemec (co-producer) Lawrence O'Donnell (associate producer) (as Lawrence O'Donnell Jr.) Bruce S. Pustin (producer)
Cinematography	Kees Van Oostrum
Editor	Paul Fried
Running time	95 minutes
Production company	Telecom Entertainment Inc.
Original release
Network	CBS
Release	April 9, 1986

A Case of Deadly Force is an American made-for-TV drama film that was released on April 9, 1986. The movie was shot in Boston, Massachusetts, United States, starring Richard Crenna, John Shea and Dylan Baker. It was adapted from the book "Deadly Force" by Lawrence O'Donnell.

Plot

Fact-based story about a 1975 cover-up of a shooting by two white members of the Boston Tactical Unit. While on stakeout on a suspected getaway car used in an armed robbery, the two gunned down a black man who entered the car. The two claimed the man had a gun and they shot in self-defense. Police investigation decided it was a rightful shooting. The man's widow (Lorraine Toussaint) knew her husband would not be carrying a weapon and became determined to prove her husband's innocence. She hired a former cop (Richard Crenna), who had become a lawyer, to prove her case. Working with his four sons (John Shea, Tate Donovan, Tom Isbell, & Dylan Baker), the lawyer team takes on the police force in what eventually proved to be a landmark legal decision.

Cast

• Richard Crenna as Lawrence O'Donnell Sr.
• John Shea as O'Donnell
• Lorraine Toussaint as Pat Bowden
• Francis X. McCarthy as Hanna (as Frank McCarthy)
• Tom Isbell as Billy O'Donnell
• Dylan Baker as Kevin O'Donnell
• Michael O'Hare as Joe Miller
• Tate Donovan as Lawrence O'Donnell Jr.
• Anna Maria Horsford as Virginia Cates (as Anna Marie Horsford)
• Anthony Heald as Dave O'Brian

External links

• A Case of Deadly Force at AllMovie
• A Case of Deadly Force at IMDb