James Ford Kenniff

Specialty

Genre redefining psychological thrillers

Bio

For nearly twenty years, I served as a public defender in the Bronx, representing people who faced the full force of state power with almost no power of their own. At The Bronx Defenders — one of the most respected and innovative public defender offices in the country — I worked at the intersection of criminal law, family law, and systemic injustice. Those years taught me how systems of justice succeed — and how they break. They also taught me that narrative is the engine of power: the story the system accepts becomes the truth people must live with. Today, I write stories that interrogate that power. My limited-series project Indefensible explores what happens when the pursuit of justice becomes indistinguishable from vengeance. It follows a young attorney who appears to be saving a man on death row, until we discover she’s orchestrated his execution. What begins as a legal thriller becomes a meditation on identity, accountability, and the stories we invent to survive.

New York

Available Now

Psychological Thriller, Legal Thriller

Some of my Scripts

R HR R R R

Indefensible

Twenty years on death row. She’s his last hope. And the little girl he thought he killed. A brilliant young attorney joins her legendary former professor to defend the man who murdered her mother, hiding her identity from everyone, including the audience, until just before they flip the switch.the country to ask whether justice and vengeance are ever the same.

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Twenty years on death row. She’s his last hope. And the little girl he thought he killed. A brilliant young attorney joins her legendary former professor to defend the man who murdered her mother, hiding her identity from everyone, including the audience, until just before they flip the switch.the country to ask whether justice and vengeance are ever the same.

Audience Emotional Journey

Writing Craft Metrics

UNIQUE SELLING POINT

The unique selling proposition is the brilliant narrative inversion where the protagonist appears to be defending a death row inmate while secretly engineering his execution as revenge for her mother's murder. This 'Sixth Sense'-style twist recontextualizes the entire legal thriller genre by making the lawyer the ultimate antagonist/vigilante, creating unprecedented moral complexity and audience engagement through dramatic irony.

STANDOUT FEATURES

Unique Hook: Avery's personal connection to the victim, Rabbit, adds a deeply emotional layer to the legal battle.
Plot Twist: The revelation that Avery is Rabbit, the daughter of the victim, who has orchestrated Kerry's conviction, recontextualizes the entire narrative.
Innovative Ideas: The screenplay explores the psychological impact of the legal system on both the accused and the advocates, blending thriller elements with legal drama.