Diksha Sundriyal
In Edward Zwick’s ‘Trial by Fire,’ we follow the story of Cameron Todd Willingham, who is convicted of killing his three young daughters in a fire. According to the prosecution, he was the one who started the fire on purpose, but he claims his innocence, saying that he would never hurt his daughters. Despite his repeated claims, he is found guilty in the court of law and sentenced to death. Due to the nature of his crime, Cameron doesn’t have many friends, but in the years that he spends in prison, that starts to change, especially with the prison guard named Daniels. SPOILERS AHEAD.
The Fictional Daniels Represents the Change of Heart Towards Cameron Todd
The events in ‘Trial by Fire’ are based on a true story. However, the creators of the film have also resorted to fictional elements to show the true scale of the conflict. The character of prison guard Daniels (Chris Coy) is one of those fictitious elements added to give more depth to the plot. The main purpose of the character is to show the shift in perspective of the people around Cameron.
From the moment the investigation begins in the film, it is clear that the investigators have already made up their minds about Cameron’s guilt. All the evidence they seem to uncover leads them to no one but Cameron. This mentality spreads to the people who find out about the case as the witnesses seem to change their testimonies. The defense lawyer, who is supposed to fight for Cameron, also gives up because he thinks that his client is guilty. Prison guard Daniels also has the same mindset toward him.
For the guard, the “baby killer” is just another prisoner on death row. However, over the next few years, there is a gradual shift in his perspective. By the end of the film, Daniels is one of the few friends that Cameron has in the whole wide world. Despite his initial hatred towards the prisoner, the guard eventually warms up to him, and they bond over several things. When Cameron is executed, Daniels is there to witness it and feels bad about it.
This radical shift in his point of view is a reflection of what seems to have happened over the years as more and more people have started to question whether Cameron had a fair trial. Because this change has been spread out over a couple of decades since his execution, it would have been difficult for the film’s creators to bunch it with all the other plot lines. So, the character of Daniels was brought into the fore, showing how first impressions can often change and unlikely friendships can be made in the most unexpected of places.
Read More: Trial by Fire: Is David Horton Based on Cameron Todd Willingham’s Real Defense Lawyer?
