- This topic has 6 replies, 2 voices, and was last updated 5 months, 4 weeks ago by
.
-
Posts
-
-
Sheriff Schanno, and later Cork O’Connor, come into possession of a cache of blackmail materials which incriminates not just the story’s central characters – but dozens of their neighbors in Aurora. What factors drive the choices of each man? If placed in this position, do you think you would reveal or destroy that damning evidence?
-
Sheriff Schanno destroys the files. Initially he says he does it so as to not “bring shame to a lot of decent people” and avoid hurting the community. But it later comes out that he has his own personal motivations for doing so. He tries to justify it later to Cork saying that nothing he burned was terrible like what Cork shows him (Joe John’s murder), and that it was Cork’s idea.
For Cork, he initially has the same impulse to destroy the evidence. But he tells Sheriff Wally that he would not have done it if he had been sheriff. When it becomes clear to him there is a mess of cover ups (a “whole pile of sh*t”), he’s determined to get to the bottom of the truth. Sadly, Cork’s enemies know he is relentless when pursuing the truth so this leads to several beat-downs and confrontations that ultimately leads to tragedy. His not revealing the cache earlier to the authorities actually turns out to be a terrible choice because it leads to Molly’s tragic death.
As for myself, I think I would reveal it. Truth be out. If it isn’t done then the people that did wrong don’t face consequences or make restitution for their choices. As result, people like the Judge can continue to manipulate and take advantage of them, which is shown to seriously hurt innocents like Joe John and Molly. Even if the people are fundamentally decent, they have to face up to their mistakes. But if I didn’t want to do it personally, I’d quickly pack those files up and send them to a national newspaper or D.A.’s office for them to decide what to pursue.
-
Thanks so much for your comments. They are rather different from mine which I appreciate because it makes for more points for discussion. I think my views reflect my experience growing up in a small town in the 50’s and 60’s. Aurora reminds me of that, minus the lake and the natural setting. Both of my parents came from long time families. I apparently came home with them from their honeymoon, albeit in a very early form. My mother occasionally relayed this story. On the date, to the day, nine months after they married, my grandmother said to my mother something along the lines of, “Well now the good women of … can stop checking their calendars.” Small town gossip can be gratuitously intrusive and cruel. Perhaps it would have been fair for the people of Aurora to know about Cork and Jo and to know their parish priest has fathered a child, but not about the two men caught by Lytton in a moment of intimacy and presumably others like them. I agree it seems that justice is denied when the various consultants, including Wally Schanno, get a pass. And I sure would have liked to see Sandy Parrant exposed. But some folks who might have been exposed almost certainly have to live there and would be followed for as long as they live by stories about their personal lives.
-
-
I think the sheriff has mixed motives. He’s well meaning, wanting to spare his neighbours embarrassment and hurt. But he also wants to sweep their misdeeds (and his) under the rug. As sheriff it wasn’t his responsibility to destroy evidence. In fact, that’s breaking the law. If he had just filed it all into evidence, I’m not sure it would all have been released to the public. But it would maybe have put a healthy fear into the folks that had been blackmailed. Instead of fearing the blackmailing judge, they would now fear the law. Maybe that would be a good deterrent for them in the future. So, my answer is I’d reveal damning evidence if there was clear evidence of criminal activity, such as taking bribes or kickbacks. If there were moral or ethical failings, such as cheating spouses, then just leave it locked in the police archive but don’t destroy it.
Cork’s choice is different from the Sheriff’s because he comes into possession of the photos of Joe John’s murder. He initially wants the cache destroyed because he discovers his wife’s affair so he’s reacting emotionally when he discusses the filing cabinet with the sheriff. But he changes his mind when he sees the terrible crimes. I’m pretty sure Cork would want to review every file and root out every misdeed to ensure no laws were broken and justice would be served. Whether he would reveal every file and misdeed, I don’t know.
-
This was an interesting story line that gave me pause. I think both men were shocked and discomfited by the material, as most of us would be. They rightly worried about what it could do to family, friends, and their community. The key difference is that as Schanno compromised his integrity by receiving money, he was more apt to cover everything up, just to be sure. While O’Connor’s family could be permanently ended and scarred from this information, O’Connor kept the greater good in mind. He put people he loved at risk, to the point of murder. He used some data in his personal situation. To me, the driver should be the difference between what should be kept private and what should be used in law enforcement. That is how I would have suggested the material to be sorted, and I would have kept it for a time in case there was a private factor that could affect the court case. Realistically today, it would be difficult to have a close, “trusted” group without leaks. I was glad to see the O’Connor family remained together, and happy to see the corruption revealed and justice working.
-
Agree! I think both men were aware of what a small town would do with some of the personal material. Cork is intent on protecting his kids from gossip if people knew about his relationship with Molly, the town gossip mill speculates about Fr. Tom and Wanda, and while their speculation is likely correct, it is gratuitous and I think as conflicted as their relationship is, Cork does not want to expose Jo to the town’s gossip mill either.
-
-
The photos and negatives contain potentially damaging information about both Cork and Wally, Cork’s infidelity and Wally’s payoffs as a security consultant for a company that fronts for an embezzlement operation. They also contain evidence of potentially relationship and reputation damaging information, marital infidelity, including Jo’s, the sexual relationship of St. Kawasaki and Wanda Manydeeds and at least one same sex couple. Both Cork and Wally understand the ramifications of their being made public. In destroying the photos, Wally believes he is protecting “a lot of decent folks from getting hurt.” Fundamentally, Cork agrees, referring to the file cabinet of photos a Pandora’s box, until he begins to see their link to Joe John and Paul being missing and getting “…to the bottom of this whole pile of shit.” I believe Wally’s insistence that he did not destroy evidence of his role in GameTech because it wasn’t in the file of photos. Cork finds the negatives where the real evidence lies, the negatives that Wally can’t search for because of his injury and that Sandy Parrant wants to destroy before they derail his political ambitions. In any professional and personal relationship, I hope I would protect the interests and reputations of innocent people or to paraphrase Gamache, “Does it need to be revealed?”
-
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.