Blind Faith

Storyline

In the small town of Toms River, New Jersey, opening in 1982, the film showcases the Marshalls, a presumably happy family living the all American dream. Rob Marshall, who has just been named one of the 50 best insurance salesmen in the United States, is supported by his wife Maria and three sons, 18-year-old Roby, 17-year-old Chris and 12-year-old John. Two years later, in September 1984, Maria is shot and killed by an unseen asailant. Rob claims she was murdered by a robber while he was taking care of a flat tire outside the house. However, when the police start to investigate, they find out the Marshalls were not that perfect as they seemed. Rob secretly has an enormous gambling debt and had asked a second mortgage of $100,000, on Maria's name. During his interogation, Rob admits that he once had an affair with the attractive Felice Richmond for a year and a half, explaining that he was not in love with Maria anymore. However, it is soon revealed to him that Maria knew about the affair and considered divorcing him, until not much later, when she decided to work on their marriage, shortly before she was killed. When Felice tells in a statement that Rob wanted to get rid of his wife to receive her life insurance, he immediately becomes the prime suspect. At first, his friends and sons support him, although they notice that he does not seem very much emotionally affected by Maria's death. Much to his best friend Sal's anger, he is more interested in building up a future with Felice, who was dumped by her husband soon after her testimony of her own extramarial affair. Rob is advised not to contact her however, because it could influence his image. This troubles Rob, who is deeply in love with the woman. Meanwhile, the police have expanded their list of suspects with Andrew Meyers, a Louisianan shop clerk who had contact with Rob concerning his financial problems, and Arnie Eggers, a rumored hitman. While slowly all evidence seems to point against Rob, Felice breaks off their relationship, which leads him to a failed suicide attempt. By this point, Chris points his back against him and admits that he suspects that his father might in fact be the killer. Roby and John are both shocked to hear this, as they still strongly believe in their father's innocence. Rob admits to Sal that he hired Ferlin L'Heureux, a private detective, on the night his wife was killed to find out how he lost all of his money. He tells him that he is afraid it might seem as if L'Heureux was a hitman, as he turned out to be a crook. Not much later, Roby has trouble coping with a recent newspaper article in which his mother's personal life was attacked. Deeply hurt, he hits the road and is almost involved in a car accident. Meanwhile, the police found Rob's audio tape which he recorded shortly before he attempted to kill himself. In the tape, he speaks about L'Hereux, who next becomes the prime suspect. L'Hereux claims that Ricky Dunlap was the man hired to murder Maria. On Christmas Eve 1984, Rob is arrested and put in jail and is offically charged with Maria's murder. Roby visits him, and is assured by his father that he is not guilty. The film then switches to the Atlantic Courthouse, 1986 where the trial against Rob Marshall starts. L'Hereux gives a detailed testimony in which he claims that Rob attemted to hire him to murder Maria, to thereby inherit her money. He claims that he found her too beautiful to kill and because of that contacted Ricky Dunlap to finish the job. The trial has a big impact on their children. Roby and John are unable to hide their emotions, and Chris turns into an angry young man wanting justice to be served. When Rob wants Roby to give a false testimony which would give him an alibi, it becomes clear to him that his father is not the person he thought him to be. In the end, Ricky is found not guilty. All blame goes to Rob, who is convicted and sentenced to death by lethal injection. A narrator reveals that he is currently on death row, waiting appeal and is still protesting his innocence. It is also revealed that Roby finished college, Chris became a swimming instructor and that John married at age 17, and never stopped believing in his father's innocence.