How does Presumed Innocent end in the book? Explained

Presumed Innocent is originally a novel written by Scott Turrow which was published in 1987. In 1990 the novel was first adapted for a film directed by Alan J. Pakula, and written by Pakula and Frank Pierson. The novel was adapted for the second time for a TV series directed by David E. Kelley which premiered on Apple TV on June 12, 2024.

The novel Presumed Innocent ends with a shocking twist about the murderer of Carolyn Polhemus. It turns out that it wasn’t Rusty who killed Carolyn but it was his wife Barbara who turned out to be the real culprit. The twist in the story left readers questioning the nature of justice, guilt, and moral responsibility.

Presumed Innocent is also an American legal thriller miniseries that follows Rusty Sabich, a prosecutor played by Jake Gyllenhaal, who becomes the prime suspect in the murder of his colleague and former lover, Carolyn Polhemus played by Renate Reinsve.

The synopsis of the TV series Presumed Innocent on Apple TV reads:

“The series explores obsession, sex, politics, and the power and limits of love, as the accused fights to hold his family and marriage together.”

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Presumed Innocent: The plot leading up to the ending

Presumed innocent revolves around Rusty Sabich who is a prosecutor in Kindle County, Illinois. He was accused of killing his colleague and ex-girlfriend Carolyn Polhemus.

As the investigation of the case proceeded it took Rusty in front of the judiciary. His defense lawyer Sandy Stern did his best to save Rusty from the false accusation and put up reasonable doubts about the actual murderer of Carolyn.

The evidence against Rusty included his fingerprints and his blood sample matched with the murderers’ blood which was found at the crime scene at Carolyn's apartment.

Bonnie Bedelia as Barbara Sabich. (Image via Warner Bros)

Stern questioned the credibility of the evidence and the witnesses throughout the case and tried to prove that they weren't fully reliable. The past relationship between Rusty and Carolyn makes his defense and his personal life more complex.

By the end of the trial in Presumed Innocent, Rusty was found not guilty as the jury announced that there was not sufficient evidence to prove that he was guilty. Though Rusty was set free from the case, he faced a hard time dealing with the emotional challenges that this trial brought and the damage that it has done to his reputation.

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The unexpected twist in the novel and its implications

The climax of the novel Presumed Innocent comes after Rusty is found not guilty. When Rusty was found innocent Barbara spoke up and accepted that she commited the murder to get back at Rusty.

Barbara maintained that she did absolutely everything for Rusty right from marrying him to supporting him throughout his journey and what she got in return was betrayal. As Barbara found out the truth about Rusty's affair with Carolyn, it tore their marriage apart.

She killed Carolyn and left clues for Rusty to figure out why she did it. She mentioned that she didn't think he would be able to get out of this but now that he was acquitted she was moving out to Detroit. Barbara took their son and decided to move on as no one was able to find the real murderer.

Presumed Innocent highlights how complex relationships can become when betrayal is involved. As Rusty was found not guilty in court, he started working towards getting his life back in order.

Catch the Presumed Innocent miniseries streaming on Apple TV+.