Silencing Mary
Encyclopedia
Silencing Mary, also released as Campus Justice, is a 1998
television film directed by Craig R. Baxley
. The film was made to warn people about rape and the then popular teen actress/country music superstar Melissa Joan Hart
was cast in the lead to drawn a young audience.
d by Clay Roberts, one of the athletes. She admits to Mary what happened, telling her that she tried to push him away and scream. She refuses to report it to the police and starts to think it was her own fault. She does go to the dean, however, but he seems to respond in Clay's favor. Holly took a test after the rape, for further proof, but she made the mistake to first take a shower. Because of this, there is no physical evidence of proof that she was raped.
Holly tries to forget what happened, but Mary is determined that justice is served. She goes to the police, but they can't help her because the university system found Clay innocent. She discovers that last year, there were twenty-six reports of rapes, but only two of them resulted in charges. The mild university system frustrates Mary, and she thinks that Clay is especially treated softly because he is an important quarterback. She confronts him, but he states that Holly wanted to sleep with him and that he turned her down. She soon starts writing an article about the rape, but one of the student reports finds it and shows it to Clay. Not much later she is first attacked by a group of men waring balaclavas. She is convinced Clay is responsible, but they all have alibis.
Meanwhile, Holly starts receiving threat letters and she is almost going over the edge. Mary decides to quit the investigation, but she soon starts to feel as if she has failed. Her parents suggest her to apply for another university, offering their retirement money. Mary refuses, however, explaining she can't leave everything behind. It doesn't take long for Mary to start reporting again and from there on, the threats start coming again. This time Mary's boyfriend David is the victim, getting hard treatment from his fellow basketball players. Meanwhile, Mary angers the dean by printing an article in which she reveals that most rape reports last year didn't result into charges. As a response, her car is dumped at a nearby lake.
Later, Holly announces she will drop out of college. Clay spots Billy talking to Mary and later gets mad at him. Billy confronts him with the rape, but Clay assures him he isn't guilty. Meanwhile, Mary finds the dress Holly wore on the night of the rape and brings it to the police. It is soon discovered that there are sperm samples on the dress. On the night of a big football game, Clay is arrested and Mary is able to stay in college.
1998 in film
-Events:* February 14 - Sharon Stone marries Phil Bronstein.* Former child star Gary Coleman is charged with assaulting a young female bus driver at a California shopping mall.-Top grossing films:...
television film directed by Craig R. Baxley
Craig R. Baxley
Craig Redding Baxley is an American actor, director and stunt performer. He is best known for his work in the action and thriller genres....
. The film was made to warn people about rape and the then popular teen actress/country music superstar Melissa Joan Hart
Melissa Joan Hart
Melissa Joan Catherine Hart is an American actress, writer, television director, television producer, singer and businesswoman...
was cast in the lead to drawn a young audience.
Plot
Mary Stuartson is a college student who works as a reporter for the college newspaper. She is involved with a case, regarding possibly a few football players having hacked the computer of a professor to steal an upcoming test. Her best friend Holly is involved with one of the hackers, Billy, and one night at a party, she is rapeRape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
d by Clay Roberts, one of the athletes. She admits to Mary what happened, telling her that she tried to push him away and scream. She refuses to report it to the police and starts to think it was her own fault. She does go to the dean, however, but he seems to respond in Clay's favor. Holly took a test after the rape, for further proof, but she made the mistake to first take a shower. Because of this, there is no physical evidence of proof that she was raped.
Holly tries to forget what happened, but Mary is determined that justice is served. She goes to the police, but they can't help her because the university system found Clay innocent. She discovers that last year, there were twenty-six reports of rapes, but only two of them resulted in charges. The mild university system frustrates Mary, and she thinks that Clay is especially treated softly because he is an important quarterback. She confronts him, but he states that Holly wanted to sleep with him and that he turned her down. She soon starts writing an article about the rape, but one of the student reports finds it and shows it to Clay. Not much later she is first attacked by a group of men waring balaclavas. She is convinced Clay is responsible, but they all have alibis.
Meanwhile, Holly starts receiving threat letters and she is almost going over the edge. Mary decides to quit the investigation, but she soon starts to feel as if she has failed. Her parents suggest her to apply for another university, offering their retirement money. Mary refuses, however, explaining she can't leave everything behind. It doesn't take long for Mary to start reporting again and from there on, the threats start coming again. This time Mary's boyfriend David is the victim, getting hard treatment from his fellow basketball players. Meanwhile, Mary angers the dean by printing an article in which she reveals that most rape reports last year didn't result into charges. As a response, her car is dumped at a nearby lake.
Later, Holly announces she will drop out of college. Clay spots Billy talking to Mary and later gets mad at him. Billy confronts him with the rape, but Clay assures him he isn't guilty. Meanwhile, Mary finds the dress Holly wore on the night of the rape and brings it to the police. It is soon discovered that there are sperm samples on the dress. On the night of a big football game, Clay is arrested and Mary is able to stay in college.
Cast
- Melissa Joan HartMelissa Joan HartMelissa Joan Catherine Hart is an American actress, writer, television director, television producer, singer and businesswoman...
as Mary Stuartson - Corin NemecCorin NemecCorin "Corky" Nemec is an American actor. Nemec is known for playing the title character on Parker Lewis Can't Lose, Jonas Quinn on Stargate SG-1, and Harold Lauder in the ABC miniseries The Stand.-Personal life:Nemec's mother was a graphic artist as well as a painter, writer and poet...
as David McPherson - Lisa Dean RyanLisa Dean RyanLisa Dean Ryan is an American actress.Ryan played Wanda Plenn, the girlfriend of the titular character in the series Doogie Howser, M.D. Shortly afterwards she played Jessica Cohen on the short lived series Class of '96...
as Holly Sherman - Peter MacNicolPeter MacNicolPeter MacNicol is an American actor. He may be best known in films for his roles of Janosz Poha in Ghostbusters II, Stingo in Sophie's Choice, Thomas Renfield in Dracula: Dead and Loving It and David Langley in Bean...
as Lawrence Dixon - James McDanielJames McDanielJames McDaniel is an American stage, film and television actor. He is best known for playing Lt. Arthur Fancy on the television show NYPD Blue. He also played a police officer in the ill-fated 1990 series Cop Rock, and a close advisor to activist Malcolm X in the 1992 film Malcolm X. He also...
as Professor Thiel - Josh HopkinsJosh HopkinsWilliam Joshua Hopkins is an American actor.-Career:Hopkins joined the fourth, and last season, of New York Undercover in 1998. In 1999 Hopkins starred in Alanis Morissette's "Unsent" music video...
as Clay Roberts - Lochlyn MunroLochlyn MunroRichard Laughlain "Lochlyn" Munro is a Canadian actor.-Life and career:Munro was born in Lac La Hache, British Columbia. He started his acting career after a serious sports injury ended his dream of playing professional hockey. While playing music in various clubs around Vancouver, British...
as Billy - Teryl RotheryTeryl RotheryTeryl Rothery is a Canadian actress. She is best known for her role as Dr. Janet Fraiser on Stargate SG-1.-Life and career:Rothery was born in Vancouver, British Columbia...
as Brubaker - Gary ChalkGary Chalk (actor)Gary Chalk is an English-born Canadian actor, tri-national US-Canadian-UK citizen and voice artist. He has lend hit voice in over 30 animated television series and has been in films such as The Fly II and Freddy vs. Jason....
as Gardner - Colin Lawrence as Augie
- Dale Wilson as Jefferson
- Susan HoganSusan Hogan (actor)Susan Hogan is a Canadian actress.Hogan is part of an acting family; husband Michael Hogan played Colonel Tigh on Battlestar Galactica, while son Gabriel Hogan has a number of television and film credits. Daughter Jennie Rebecca Hogan is also an actress....
as Helen Stuartson - Tobias MehlerTobias MehlerTobias Mehler is a Canadian actor who has appeared in film and television productions. Some notable roles include d'Artagnan on Young Blades, Zak Adama on Battlestar Galactica and Lieutenant Graham Simmons in Stargate SG-1...
as Jesse - Kevin McNultyKevin McNultyKevin McNulty is a Canadian actor.McNulty was born in Penticton, British Columbia, Canada. He has acted on three aviation movies: Falling from the Sky: Flight 174 with William Devane, Final Descent with Robert Urich and Snakes on a Plane with Samuel L. Jackson...
as Tom Stuartson - Emily Hart as Bobbi Stuartson