The shocking finale of The Lincoln Lawyer season 3 left viewers reeling with the discovery of Sam Scales’ body in the trunk of Mickey Haller’s signature Lincoln. This dramatic cliffhanger isn’t just a sensational twist; it’s a deliberate setup for season 4, drawing heavily from Michael Connelly’s novel, The Law of Innocence. For those unfamiliar with Sam Scales, or needing a refresher, understanding his character and his demise is crucial to grasping the stakes Mickey Haller now faces.
Who is Sam Scales in The Lincoln Lawyer? A Career Con Artist
Sam Scales isn’t a new face in The Lincoln Lawyer universe. He’s a recurring character, a con man who first appeared in season 1 as one of Mickey Haller’s less-than-desirable clients inherited from Jerry Vincent’s practice. Scales’ modus operandi involves preying on people’s goodwill, masquerading as a philanthropist for personal gain. His initial scam, for which Mickey represented him, involved soliciting donations for cancer research under the guise of a fake charity. The funds, unsurprisingly, were diverted to finance Scales’ lavish lifestyle, including luxury items like an espresso machine and a Rolex watch.
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Hector Moya and Mickey Haller in The Lincoln Lawyer season 3
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Scales’ scams are not limited to just one instance. He resurfaces throughout the series, each time entangled in a new fraudulent scheme. He’s been caught running fake charities like Homes4Youth.com, exploiting foster children, and even targeting veterans with a service animal donation scam. Despite owing Mickey Haller’s firm a substantial amount of money from previous legal representations, Scales consistently avoids repayment, highlighting his disregard for responsibility and the law. His long list of aliases, including Samuel Scales, Benny Bates, and Francois DuPont, further underscores his life of deception.
| Sam Scales’ Known Aliases |
|---|
| Samuel Scales |
| Benny Bates |
| Francois DuPont |
| Daniel Varela |
| Gunther Schmidt |
| Vincenzo D’Aramo |
| Walter Lennon (Book Alias) |
Even when Lorna and Cisco attempted to leverage Scales’ skills to create a website in season 2, offering to clear some of his debt, he remained untrustworthy, refusing to settle his dues. Season 3 sees him back in legal trouble for yet another scam, this time involving grocery gift cards for striking workers. While he did donate a portion of the collected funds, he pocketed a significant two-thirds for himself, proving his fundamentally dishonest nature persists.
The Confrontation and the Fatal Outcome for Sam Scales
In The Lincoln Lawyer season 3, episode 7, Lorna once again finds herself representing Sam Scales. Following this, a heated exchange occurs between Scales and Mickey outside the courthouse. A deal is struck where charges would be dropped if Scales repays the stolen money. Scales, however, claims he can’t pay because he owes the money to someone dangerous who would kill him if he didn’t. Mickey, frustrated by Scales’ habitual dishonesty and financial evasion, retorts in anger that Scales will “die” if he doesn’t pay the law firm what he owes.
These words tragically foreshadow the grim discovery at the end of season 3. Sam Scales is found dead in the trunk of Mickey’s car, immediately casting suspicion upon the lawyer. This dramatic development directly mirrors the plot of Michael Connelly’s The Law of Innocence, confirming that season 4 will adapt this particular book in the series. Mickey Haller now finds himself in an unprecedented situation: defending himself against a murder charge.
Sam Scales’ Killer: From Book Mob Boss to Series Suspect
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Sam Scales is dead in the trunk of Mickey
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In The Law of Innocence, the culprit behind Sam Scales’ murder is Louis Opparizio, a powerful mob boss. Scales had run a scam involving biofuel conversion, inadvertently defrauding Opparizio’s criminal organization. As retribution, Opparizio not only kills Scales but meticulously frames Mickey Haller. This framing is motivated by Opparizio’s past grievances against Haller, who had previously caused him financial losses. The elaborate setup involves planting the body in Mickey’s car and likely removing the Lincoln’s license plate to ensure a police stop.
For the Netflix series, The Lincoln Lawyer, the character of Louis Opparizio appears to be replaced by Alex Grant. Grant, introduced in season 2 as a suspect in the Mitchell Bondurant case, seemed to have faded from the narrative during season 3’s timeline. However, the season 3 finale strongly suggests Grant’s return as the likely antagonist framing Mickey for Sam Scales’ murder. This twist sets the stage for a compelling season 4, where Mickey must navigate the complexities of the legal system from the defendant’s seat, unraveling the conspiracy behind Sam Scales’ death and fighting to prove his own innocence.
