LogFAQs > #922361791

Today's trope is Acquitted Too Late. Here is the link: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/AcquittedTooLate

A character has been wrongfully convicted of a capital crime, or their peers have been convinced of their guilt/wrongdoing. Their lawyer, girlfriend, parents and children are all working to get him released from prison by way of a pardon, or perhaps a new trial. Time is running out, however, as the date of execution has been set.

The lawyer finally talks to judge and gets a stay, or the parents or girlfriend finally gets in to talk to the governor and he issues a pardon. But by the time word gets to the warden of the prison, the execution has already happened. Or in a non-legal case, something that makes the discovery of this character's innocence moot has already occurred.

In some cases it is long too late and those working to prove the characters' innocence know that they have since been executed and are merely working to posthumously Clear Their Name.

TL,DR: A character is proven innocent only after their sentence has been carried out.

Nominations:
Tom Robinson (To Kill a Mockingbird)
Terry Fawles (Ace Attorney)
Antigone