Real-Life Attorneys In John du Pont Case Speak As 'Foxcatcher' Opens In Theaters
By Ian Bush
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - The case of the multimillionaire who turned his 800-acre estate in Delaware County into a murder scene is getting the Hollywood treatment.
'Foxcatcher' opens today in Philadelphia, and it's getting plenty of Oscar buzz.
"The du Pont character is really, really spot on," says Tom Bergstrom.
He should know. He represented the man played by Steve Carell in 'Foxcatcher.'
"He looks so much like John did, frankly," Bergstrom says. "It's a fascinating look into the mind of one who is critically, critically mentally ill."
A jury found du Pont guilty of third-degree murder, but mentally ill in the shooting death of Olympic gold-winning wrestler Dave Schultz, played in the film by Mark Ruffalo.
(McAndrews:) "If mental illness was a defense to crimes, we could empty most of the prisons," says Dennis McAndrews.
McAndrews prosecuted the case, along with Joe McGettigan.
"He knew what he was doing, he did it, and he knew it was wrong," McGettigan says. "That's legal sanity."
While the attorneys stick to the tack they took at trial, each agrees that a lesson taught by the case is one that, as a country, we're still struggling with: the importance of early intervention and continued treatment for those with mental health issues.
