But...Nunally changed the weapon.

That's actually a great point. That didn't occur to me. I mean the thing about Nunally tampering with evidence; not the part about Beachum getting this confession as he's holding a gun while in the home of a man who had a restraining order against him. That did occur to me. But the thing about Nunally having tampered with the evidence is really the last nail in the coffin.

In a way I find that kind of satisfying. Not that I wanted Crawford to get away with it, but the fact that Beachum is such an unlikable douche who just doesn't know when to stop bumbling all over his own case and subjecting himself to career-destroying public humiliation, I just find it satisfying that he would have went and shot himself in the foot again.

The people, and the people alone, are the motive force in the making of history.
-Mao Zedong

All he needs is one bullet, the one in the wife's head. The other bullets, you're right they won't match, but they don't matter any more. Willy even says this at the end - they were able to take the bullet out of the dead wife's head and it will match the gun that Nunally shot himself with.

Mkohary is right: The bullet that was in her head is the one they'll use for the new trial. The bullets Nunally switched won't even enter into it, because they'll be starting from scratch, with only the evidence that he brings in.

And as for the restraining order... Am I wrong, or wasn't the restraining order to keep Beachum away from Crawford's wife, not Crawford himself? Besides, he had invited Beachum to come to his house, because he had a gift for him. He was enjoying the game he was playing with "Willy" too much to put out a restraining order to keep him away from himself.

One word: reasonable doubt.

The case is fudged beyond repair. Crawford will dance out of the courtroom again, especially with a dream team of lawyers doing his bidding.

You're right, ColdZro, the restraining order was to keep Willy away from the wife, and Crawford did invite him over. His standing there with a gun was absurd! (But so was the "twist," it was simply wrong; as though Ryan Gosling is smarter than Anthony Hopkins and David Strathairn!!)

I wasn't clear on what gun it was that Nunally planted - just one that had been fired, I guess?

Maybe that's why the movie ended before we see the outcome of the trial lol!