Her, Too – After Defending a Serial Rapist, She Becomes a Victim
Defense attorney Kelly McCann is good at her job – perhaps too good. She’s built a successful and lucrative career defending men accused of sexual assault, even rape. While some women call Kelly a traitor, she justifies what she does by saying that her clients, often famous and powerful men, are innocent and deserve a vigorous defense.
Her most recent case, however, is different. Dr. George Benjamin, a lauded scientist who may have discovered the virus that causes Alzheimer’s and developed a drug that can cure this dreaded disease, is being accused of rape by his research assistant, Dr. Reeza Patel. While Reeza is the only woman to come forward to accuse Benjamin of rape, she’s not the only one who has been assaulted by the doctor. Three other women signed NDAs after being paid by Kelly to stay silent.
Bonnie Kistler (Photo Credit: Nicole McConville)
Kelly soothes her guilty conscious with the thought that Benjamin can now continue his scientific work. She’s on her way home to Boston when Benjamin calls and invites her to his Philadelphia home for a celebratory drink. Although she’s tired and wants to see her family, she agrees when Benjamin says his wife, Jane, wants to thank Kelly personally. He also promises a helicopter to take her home.
When Kelly arrives at the doctor’s mansion, he asks to see her alone, ostensibly to give her a bonus check. The gin and tonic he serves her contains a powerful drug that leaves her paralyzed, but still wide awake. The real Benjamin reveals himself, berating Kelly for not allowing him to speak at all during his trial and treating him like a pariah. Helpless to fight back, she endures the rape. She’s tossed into a car and then a helicopter by Anton, Benjamin’s strong man. In a cab on the way home, feeling returns to her limbs, but she’s numb when trying to process the assault.
Ten years ago, Kelly’s husband, Adam, suffered a massive intracerebral hemorrhagic stroke that has left him comatose. Since then, she’s been the sole wage earner for the family. Adam lies in a hospital bed upstairs, his care provided by Todd, while Gwen manages child care for Kelly’s two children, Lexie, 10, and Justin, 14. Kelly knows what she should do is save any DNA evidence, preserve her clothing, and take photos of her body where bruises are apparent. Instead, she takes a hot shower and tosses her clothes into the garbage. Coming forward with the rape means the end of her career and her ability to take care of her family.
The next day, she acknowledges the kudos from her team and the other lawyers in her firm. But her resolve to put the rape behind her quickly gives way to a burning rage. While she knows she can’t accuse Benjamin of rape, she can find another way to destroy him. She devises a ruse to reach out to the other women Benjamin raped, knowing she will have to turn in her best performance to convince them to join her efforts to ruin him. The only one who doesn’t join her revenge team is Reeza, and when the scientist is later found dead of an overdose, Kelly worries that Benjamin may have learned of her efforts and is coming after them. Now, no one is safe.
Bonnie Kistler’s Her, Too is a roller coaster ride. But it also shines a spotlight on our justice system where women who have suffered a sexual assault still struggle to be heard.
Her, Too
Bonnie Kistler
Top photo: Bigstock
