Film Theory: Is Spider Man ACTUALLY Guilty of Murder? (Spiderman No Way Home)

As a self teaching lawyer, I really wish more videos like this exist.

It always bothered me that this MCU's Spider-Man saved so many in New York, in addition to helping save the Universe in End Game, yet folks were more likely to believe Mysterio - a "superhero" in Venice who was around for about two weeks.

If Matt Murdock wasn't a good lawyer what other explanation could there be for catching a brick hurdling to Peter's face

The most important line Matt says is that “there is still the court of public opinion” and THAT’S Peter’s main struggle. It’s not that HE doesn’t get into M.I.T., it’s that MJ and Ned don’t get it by association. Regardless of legal guilt, his reputation is tarnished

Not only is all of Mysterio’s “evidence” completely inadmissible, but even if the EDITH program doesn’t keep logs of users and orders, which seems unlikely, there should be TONS of counter evidence proving Quentin Beck was a grifter and the real villain. For one thing, Quentin Beck, if that’s even his real name, was a former Stark employee, so Happy should’ve been able to pull up his employee file and show the world Beck was a hologram technician fired for being unstable, not an interdimensional soldier. For another, Flash Thomson was able to livestream the entire London attack, so there should be ample security footage showing the drones emerging from Mysterio’s weather monster. Not to mention that someone would’ve had to recover Mysterio’s body, and would’ve found that he wasn’t wearing the futuristic supersuit he was shown wearing in his dying video, but rather a suit covered in AR patches and hologram projectors.

One thing that really stuck out to me was when Matt said “you may not be guilty in a court of law but you still have the court of public opinion to deal with.” It really shows in the beginning of the movie and is especially meaningful in todays day and age

Fun Fact: Tony does actually bring Tom Holland in Civil War legally; in Far From Home, we see his passport, which is dated 2 days before Civil War released to theaters. Therefore, Tony expedited the Passport process to bring Peter quickly

Murdock didn't say he got Peter off, he said he doesn't think the charges are going to stick. (since there really is no evidence of him killing Mysterio). Just Mysterio CLAIMING that Spider-man is a criminal.

Wasn't shield aware/backing this effort, even if nick was replaced, shield was 100% involved with the fight and could easily prove that Mystiro was a bad actor, and not who they first thought he was. This all backs Peter's side.

the brick can confirm: Matt Murdock is a REALLY good lawyer

The charges being dropped didn't seem particularly strange or improbable to me. As explained in this video, there was never any solid evidence. I don't think that Beck ever expected Peter to face legal consequences, but he knew that the accusation and Peter's identity being made public would be enough to effectively ruin his life.

"Spiderman gets off pretty easily" Also Spiderman losing everyone he loves:

It also occurs to me that the DoDC might have been actually arresting Peter for stealing exotic Stark tech; which their own records would eventually reveal had actually been legally turned over to Peter by Stark/Potts. Maybe Peter only thought murder charges were involved because of Beck's accusation.

Finding Mysterio's body in a mocap suit would also probably be a massive red flag that literally none of his story was valid and would instill mistrust that he was killed by Peter as well.

Couldn’t they just do a quick background check on Quentin Beck and find out that he designed the hologram and drone technology for Stark industries? If they look at any of the drones, they could easily realize that they’re using the technology he invented. The drones have a projection of mysterio in them so it would be incredibly easy to put two and two together that he fabricated the entire thing.

Don’t forget that Ned asks for a lawyer and they just continue to interrogate him. Also, aunt May asks to see his 17 year old entrusted nephew and they don’t let her.

Fun Fact: We don't see the judicial process for Peter in No Way Home because the scene got cut for time. It would have added 20 more minutes to the movie.

I'm telling you here and now, If I was in Peter's situation, I would hire MatPat as my lawyer!

I’m still bothered by how fast Jameson called Damage Control on Peter for... taking some weird guys into his home. I don’t even think he knew about the others; his tip was just that they were leaving May’s food drive in a truck. I guess he might want to investigate, but on what grounds could you possibly get Damage Control to arrive so soon with a full swat team? If they knew Octavious and Osborn were there, surely they’d swoop in and arrest them for their bridge destruction. But no, they just wait until the fight progresses and decide Peter is the threat. And for them to start opening fire on Peter as he lies there with his DYING aunt just doesn’t seem like an organization on his side.

Theory: The prosecution was Miles Edgeworth and he and Matt Murdock kept going back and forth presenting slightly different updated autopsies