Showtrial season 2 ending explained: Did Justin kill Marcus?

For those who have reached the season finale or are simply curious about how everything unfolds: Did Justin really murder Marcus? And what went down during the trial?

Continue reading for a complete overview of the conclusion of Showtrial season 2.

*Note: This section reveals major plot details from all five episodes of Season 2 of Showtrial.*

Barney Fishwick plays the role of Marcus Calderwood in the series Showtrial. Production by BBC and World Productions.

Indeed, he did. At the conclusion of episode 4, Justin admitted to Sam that he was the one who hit Marcus with his car. This act stemmed partly from his deep-seated animosity towards Marcus and was also influenced by his deteriorating mental health issues after the miscarriage of his partner, Sandra.

Marcus's activist group, Stop Climate Genocide, had previously shut down the highway, and during that time, Justin witnessed a tragic accident. He saw a pregnant woman lose her life and felt that her presence on that road was a direct result of Marcus's group's actions.

Justin disclosed all the details about what occurred with Sam as the season finale approached.

Justin mentioned that he and his neighbor Patrick Norris, who also held a grudge against him, struck a deal. Justin had borrowed money from Norris for gambling, but if he could eliminate Marcus, all of his debt would vanish. He worried about what the well-connected Norris might do to him or his partner Sandra if he didn’t succeed in his task.

Justin pushed Marcus off his bike, grabbed both the bike and helmet, and handed them to Norris to handle. Meanwhile, Sandra took the car to get repaired overseas. Norris's wife, Elena, worked on the bike and added new pedals to it just in case it was ever discovered, since a pedal had already been located at the scene of the incident, which could complicate things further.

Justin disclosed that Norris’s motive for having Marcus eliminated was straightforward: Marcus had caused him to be fined £1,000 for disregarding a tree preservation order.

Was Justin Convicted? What Happened Next?

Michael Socha portrays Justin Mitchell in the second season of Showtrial. BBC

After Justin confessed to Sam that he was responsible for Marcus Calderwood's death, and Sam also found out about Sandra's miscarriage, he encouraged Justin to alter his plea to manslaughter due to diminished capacity.

His legal team discovered that the police were aware of Justin's mental health issues but did not take any action when he neglected several psychiatric evaluations.

The jury was dismissed for a two-week period, during which Justin went through several evaluations.

While this was happening, Felix Owusu continued to investigate the case and discovered that Elena Norris had bought a new pair of bike pedals that matched the one retrieved from the lake the day after the hit-and-run incident.

This evidence was vital, as the presence of a partner indicated that Justin had planned the crime in advance. As a result, he was found guilty of murder by a 10-2 jury decision. He received a minimum prison sentence of 35 years.

Justin informed Sam that he had no plans to spend even a year in prison, strongly suggesting that he might end his own life in the near future.

"A day, maybe a week at most," he remarked. "Justin Mitchell determines his own rates."

Did Patrick Norris Receive Justice?

Tom Padley plays DI Packham and Joe Dempsie portrays Southgate in the series Showtrial. BBC / World Productions

Not yet. Patrick and Elena Norris escaped from the country before the authorities could catch up with them, which left this storyline unresolved by the end of the series. They made their way to Ecuador, assisted by a notorious cocaine trafficker.

It's uncertain how far the police could take their investigation into Norris since Justin chose not to connect him to Marcus's murder in any way. Justin was worried that if he pointed the finger at Norris, even after his own conviction, Norris might retaliate against Sandra.

Leila emphasized that DI Southgate would persist in pursuing Norris, as the matter had taken on a personal significance for him.

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What Happened To Sam, Leila, And Felix?

Adeel Akhtar plays the role of Sam Malik in the second season of Showtrial. BBC

At the conclusion of the series, Felix faced contempt of court charges due to his ongoing coverage of the trial and the allegations involved. He was scheduled to make an appearance at a later date. After the police confiscated his phone, Helen disclosed to Leila that she was the source of Felix's information. Aware that this would eventually be revealed, she felt it was important to share this news with Leila first.

At the same time, Leila began to mend her relationship with Tamara once she realized that Tamara's frustration wasn't really about her declining to house-sit. It was more about Tamara’s ongoing insistence that they were half-sisters rather than full sisters.

Dame Harriet's health got better, and she was making plans to relocate to Canada for a teaching job.

The season wrapped up with Sam’s son, Mani, paying him a visit. The two of them set off together for a beer, talking things over—indicating that there was hope for repairing their relationship and moving toward a better future.

The complete second season of Showtrial can now be streamed on BBC iPlayer.

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