Fracture

Theodore "Ted" Crawford, a wealthy Irish aeronautical engineer living in Los Angeles, confirms that his wife, Jennifer, is having an affair with police detective Robert Nunally. Confronting his wife, Crawford shoots her. He calls the police, including Nunally, who enters the house cautiously, negotiating with Crawford for both to put down their guns. Crawford confesses he shot his wife. Recognizing the victim and being subtly goaded by Crawford, Nunally becomes enraged and assaults him. Jennifer, despite her injuries, is not killed, but left in a coma.
Crawford is arrested for attempted murder. He signs a full confession and waives the right to an attorney, even though he will face the rising star deputy district attorney William "Willy" Beachum at trial. Beachum is about to take up a position at the prestigious law firm Wooton Sims and considers the case an open-and-shut matter. He discovers that Crawford's handgun could not have been used in the shooting because it does not match shell casings at the crime scene and, in fact, has not been fired. Yet, he proceeds with the trial on the strength of the signed confession.
At the trial, Crawford informs the court that the arresting officer, Nunally, was having an affair with his wife, assaulted him during his arrest, and was present during his interrogation. Crawford's confession is therefore ruled inadmissible as evidence, being, as the judge puts it, fruit of the poisonous tree. Nunally comes up with a scheme to plant false evidence to implicate Crawford, which Beachum rejects.
With no new evidence to present, Beachum concedes the trial is lost, and Crawford is acquitted. Consequently, Nunally commits suicide outside the court, and Beachum loses his position at Wooton Sims. However, he begins to see his DA job as a means to fight for justice for such people as Jennifer. Crawford himself observes the change, commenting sarcastically that Beachum has "found God". This motivates Beachum to continue searching for evidence, almost obsessively.
Realizing that Crawford plans to dispose of the only eyewitness to the crime, Beachum obtains a court order to keep Jennifer on life support but is unable to prevent the hospital staff from turning off the machines.
A mix-up of cell phones causes Beachum to realize that Nunally and Crawford both used the same type of gun, a.45 caliber Glock 21. Before the crime, Crawford switched his and Nunally's guns in the hotel room where Jennifer and Nunally secretly met. Crawford shot his wife with Nunally's gun, then reloaded it. When the detective arrived on the scene, carrying Crawford's gun, both put down their weapons as a preliminary move in negotiations. When Nunally rushed over to Jennifer, Crawford switched the guns again. Nunally had then unwittingly holstered the murder weapon, allowing the unused gun to be taken as evidence.
Beachum confronts Crawford with his deductions. With Jennifer now dead, the bullet lodged in her head can now be retrieved and matched with Nunally's gun. Crawford brazenly confesses, confident he is protected by the double jeopardy principle. However, Beachum informs Crawford that he will be tried for taking Jennifer off life support, which constitutes murder because of its malice aforethought. The waiting police arrest Crawford. The film ends with a new trial about to begin, Beachum prosecuting, and Crawford surrounded by a team of defense attorneys.