Murder Ordained


Murder Ordained is a television miniseries that originally aired for CBS in 1987, starring Keith Carradine, JoBeth Williams, and Kathy Bates. It was co-written and directed by Mike Robe. Based on actual events that occurred in Emporia, Kansas, in 1983, the film tells the story of State Trooper John Rule, who investigates what appears to be a traffic accident resulting in the death of a local minister's wife. His investigation leads him to believe foul play was involved. Much of the principal photography and filming occurred on location in Kansas, and some of the dialogue comes directly from court transcripts.
The film was subsequently released on VHS and DVD. The cast also includes Terry Kinney, M. Emmet Walsh, John Goodman and Johnny Galecki. The series received an Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Editing for a Miniseries or a Special.

Plot

The Rev. Tom Bird, seemingly the perfect family man and Lutheran minister, becomes romantically involved with Lorna Anderson, a new woman in town, openly unhappy with her hard-drinking husband, Marty. Before long, the two are talking about fleeing Emporia together to establish his dream of a family counseling center in New Mexico. He even talks about the possibility of a lucrative television ministry. But there are two nagging problems: their respective spouses. In July 1983, the body of Sandra Bird is discovered floating beneath a bridge in what looks like a car accident. But state trooper John Rule becomes suspicious about the lack of skid marks and blood stains on the bridge. Unfortunately, an official investigation stalls until Lorna's husband is also murdered.