False Arrest is a 1991 American television film based on the real-life murders of William Redmond and Helen Phelps and the true story of Joyce Lukezic, who was wrongfully convicted of being one of the masterminds behind the murders.[1] Directed by Bill L. Norton and starring Donna Mills and Steven Bauer, the film was broadcast in two parts on November 3 and 6, 1991.[2][3][4]
| False Arrest | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Drama |
| Based on | False Arrest: The Joyce Lukezic Story |
| Written by | Joyce Lukezic Ted Schwarz Andrew Laskos |
| Directed by | Bill L. Norton |
| Starring | |
| Music by | Sylvester Levay |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| Production | |
| Executive producers | Joel Fields Ronald H. Gilbert Leonard Hill |
| Cinematography | Robert Draper |
| Editor | Mark W. Rosenbaum |
| Running time | 192 minutes |
| Production companies | Joel Fields Productions Leonard Hill Films Ron Gilbert Associates |
| Original release | |
| Network | ABC |
| Release | November 3 – November 6, 1991 |
Synopsis
editOn New Year's Eve 1980, in Phoenix, Arizona, William "Pat" Redmond, his wife, Marilyn, and her mother; Helen Phelps, are hustled into a bedroom in their house by three men with guns and are each shot in the back of the head. Both Pat and Phelps die while Marilyn survives. Joyce Lukezic, the wife of Pat Redmond's business partner, Ron Lukezic, is charged with masterminding the murders.
After going to jail, Joyce suffers a heart attack, is abandoned by her lawyer and husband, and is attacked in prison. She also attempts suicide. When Joyce gets a new lawyer, she tells him she suspects her husband is the true mastermind behind the murders. She eventually gets a retrial and is found innocent.
Cast
edit- Donna Mills as Joyce Lukezic
- Steven Bauer as Detective Dan Ryan
- Lane Smith as Martin Busey
- James Handy as Thomas Thinnes
- Lewis Van Bergen as Arnie Merrill
- Dennis Christopher as Wally Roberts
- Paul Gleason as Arthur Ross
- Penny Fuller as Marilyn Redmond
- Kiersten Warren as Eden
- Jason London as Eric
- Brian Bonsall as Jason Lukezic
- Robert Wagner as Ron Lukezic
- Robert Sampson as Pat Redmond
- Harriet White Medin as Helen Phelps
References
edit- ^ Fitzpatrick, Tom (November 6, 1991). "As seen on TV, a famous Phoenix murder". Phoenix New Times. Archived from the original on January 28, 2024. Retrieved February 3, 2024.
- ^ "Arizona wants to execute last surviving defendant of Valley murder plot". KPNX. July 19, 2022. Archived from the original on January 1, 2024. Retrieved February 3, 2024.
- ^ Shales, Tom (November 2, 1991). "'Arrest': Shut And Open Case". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on January 28, 2024. Retrieved February 3, 2024.
- ^ Willman, Chris (November 6, 1991). "TV Reviews : ABC's 'False Arrest' Manages to Remain Arresting". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on January 31, 2024. Retrieved February 3, 2024.
External links
edit- False Arrest at IMDb