Part one of the second season of The Lincoln Lawyer ended with the prosecution finding conclusive evidence to prove that Lisa Tramwell is the one who murdered business tycoon Mitchell Bondurant. The prosecution got hold of her garden gloves, which had traces of the victim’s blood. The fifth episode also included Mickey getting beaten up in the car parking area by a bunch of goons. This was done only to put Mickey on the back foot for the upcoming trial. The next five episodes will all be about Mickey giving his 100 percent to make sure Lisa does not get jail time for something she claims is innocent of. As her lawyer, he will have to believe the words of his client and prove the same to the court.
Spoilers Ahead
Mickey at the hospital
A battered Mickey has been shifted to the hospital thanks to Izzy. He happens to be her close friend and mentor, and at this point, she will do anything for him. As he slowly recovers from his multiple injuries, the big question here is who attacked Mickey, because he is sure the hired men didn’t intend to kill him. The doubt falls on Alex Grant to send Mickey a message about backing off. It implies that Mickey was coming close to busting Alex. Mickey and his team are horrified by the turn of events, and they are glad this did not cause any major injury, or it could have delayed the upcoming trial. For the viewers, hiring men to physically attack Mickey seems over the top when it comes to the narrative because it seems the writers and the makers wanted some theatrics to make the show more dramatic. The focus should have been on the screenplay and the performances rather than adding action scenes that did not blend well with the storytelling.
Who is Alex Grant?
As per the blackmail email found by Cisco about Alex Grant and his corrupt practices sent by Mitchell Bondurant when he was alive, the only way to solve the case and save Lisa is to make Alex speak about his connection to Mitchell in court. This was a good find by Cisco, as they wanted to prove that the police did not look for any other suspects. This is typical of the LAPD, which is notorious for being corrupt and ineffective. The team forms an elaborate plan to get Alex brought out of hiding, and the plan works like clockwork and he is questioned about Mitchell Bondurant’s email. This was a smart move by Mickey and his team, and the writers here have intelligently blended the courtroom proceedings with the narrative. The pacing suddenly picks up, and the viewer cannot wait to know how Mickey will secure a victory.
Lisa Tramwell’s trial
On the day of the trial, Mickey receives a letter stating that Alex Grant is a person of interest in the FBI’s ongoing investigation. Mickey will have to prove that the letter came from the FBI before presenting it as evidence to the judge. He is hoping this letter will help him form concrete evidence against Alex’s involvement in Mitchell’s murder. Lisa is still on the back foot, on account of the testimony by the investigating officer, which comes across as strong. The FBI confirmed the authenticity of the letter, and it was presented to the court as part of the evidence to put Alex on trial so that there could be clarity on his involvement. This back and forth of each losing momentum and gaining strength was bound to happen in a trial such as this. The viewers are still under the impression that even though the Alex Grant angle works, one cannot help but wonder if Lisa is capable enough of committing a murder. She does come across as an aggressive person, and the audience cannot stop wondering what the outcome will be.
The FBI officer who supposedly sent the letter testifies, but he refuses to speak about an ongoing investigation. However, the officer neither confirms or denies that Alex Grant might be under investigation. This non-confirmation will surely create doubt in the jury’s mind about the shoddy police investigation. Alex’s angle is complex, but it was the duty of the PD and the prosecution to make their case stronger and gather enough evidence to catch the culprit who murdered their client. This is a case of negligence. Mickey, for the time being, can dodge the bullet until the murder weapon is finally found by the prosecution, and this looks like an end game for Lisa. It will be interesting to witness how Mickey gets her out of this.
Mickey and his team unearth Henry’s connection with the contract for Lisa that was stolen, and he is mercilessly questioned about who was funding his podcast. Cisco finds out about David Webber, an associate of Alex Grant, who happens to be Henry’s boss as well. It is revealed that David was instrumental in pushing Henry to get Lisa to talk about her crusade against Mitchell Bondurant before and after his death. The case gets more complex as the days go by, and Alex Grant can be considered intelligent for hatching an elaborate plan to make sure Lisa is convicted, in such a manner nothing could be traced back to him. It is Mickey’s duty to prove that this nexus exists, and they did so, letting Henry know of the ground reality.
How Was Lisa Acquitted in The Murder Case?
Mickey is known to have been playing with the jury’s mind. He must make sure his questions squash the theory that the weapon was indeed used by Lisa. Thankfully, the weapon is disregarded because the prosecution cannot have found it six months after the man had been killed. Mickey’s theory makes sense because the weapon is something that should have been in the hands of the prosecution at the beginning of the investigation. This puts them in jeopardy and only proves Mickey knows his job too well, and viewers have finally gotten an understanding of how the trial might end. But there is still a lot that needs to be done.
Mickey is also approached by Jeff, who wants to offer a statement in Lisa’s favor. Mickey was quick to understand that the man was back in town only to get some traction from this high-profile case. This interaction strengthened his belief in Lisa’s words, who let him know that Jeff was not never an understanding spouse. This was just a way to allow the viewers to form the belief that Lisa was right about wanting to be on her own, that the divorce allowed her to flourish as a restaurateur, and that her fight against Mitchell was also justified.
Alex Grant was finally put on standby, and he was questioned by Mickey about his family background and his father being head of a crime syndicate. Alex breaks away from it for many legitimate reasons, but Mickey proves his current connection with his father and uncle. Alex’s words also prove that there was a big construction deal that was put on hold because of Mitchell. Knowing he has been caught in his loop of lies, Alex invokes the Fifth Amendment, which gives him the power to remain silent and refrain from incriminating himself. Mickey knew Alex would pull off a stunt like this, which would be instrumental in changing the jury’s mind about Lisa. The viewers also saw this coming because Alex was the only way to acquit Lisa, and Mickey relied on Alex messing up his testimony.
Henry’s raw footage of his podcast is used to build a case against Lisa’s aggressive nature in hounding Mitchell before his death, and Lisa’s statement to the defense and prosecution allowed the jury to finally form an opinion about her. The trial seemed never-ending, and it created a lot of anticipation regarding the final verdict because, at this point, the viewer’s mindset becomes like a hung jury that is indecisive. The anticipation created by the makers must be applauded, for the last season lacked this sense of tension. The jury finally gives the verdict in favor of Lisa, and she is acquitted of all the charges. It was indeed a surprising ending because, for most of the time, there was no clear picture of which way the jury would go.
A climax such as this one made the entire courtroom sequence engrossing. The startling end of this trial was much better than Trevor Elliot’s proceedings in the first season. That was predictable, and there was nothing much to discuss about the complexities of Trevor, who was eventually killed. Lisa’s case from the beginning was on the edge, and there were some chances and instances that could have changed the course of her fate.
Does Lisa Get Arrested?
This season of The Lincoln Lawyer ends with Mickey finally connecting the dots that the person who approached him as Lisa’s ex-husband was not Jeff. It finally dawns on him that Lisa got her husband killed, and he confronts her about this at her home. This scene is reminiscent of how Mickey confronted Trevor at the end of the first season. The difference here is that Mickey and Lisa had a connection, and he thought of pursuing a relationship with her. But knowing that she was a criminal, changes everything. Lorna informed the PD about their concerns regarding Lisa’s ex-husband, and it’s implied that Lisa might get arrested.
What Happens In The End?
Andrea mentions the presence of Mitchell’s blood on Walter Kim’s boots, implying that he was the one who killed Bondurant. Walter had also been taking bribes from Alex Grant and visited Lisa’s restaurant as a health inspector to steal the hammer and gloves and plant them as evidence against her. During the season’s end, he disappeared without leaving a trace, and we can speculate that he might have been killed by someone in order to cover the tracks. There is a speeding car one evening that tries to kill Mickey, and there is a possibility that it was Alex who did it either to kill him or warn him. The entire Alex episode reminds the viewers that maybe he might have some involvement in Bondurant’s murder.
Alex Grant is finally arrested, as per Andrea, the prosecution lawyer, and the FBI investigation against him is sped up to make sure the case against him is stronger. The end sequence of the second season of The Lincoln Lawyer has a new case assigned to Mickey about a man who is accused of murdering a person that he knows very well. Turns out it is Gloria, aka Glory Days, who is murdered—an important witness who helped Jesus Menendez walk out. She partially aided him in capturing Russell Lawson. Her death might be an indication that Russell is either out of prison or he hired an accomplice to commit the murder. It could have been his way of sending out a message to Mickey to remain vigilant.
