Sandra Petrocelli Character Analysis in Monster

Sandra Petrocelli is the prosecutor in King and Steve’s felony murder trial. Although Petrocelli claims to be working on behalf of truth and justice and American ideals, she immediately labels the defendants as “monsters,” prejudicing herself and the jury against them, and she often asks witnesses leading questions to manipulate their answers, which is constantly rebuked by both the defense attorneys and the judge. Nearly all of Petrocelli’s witnesses are criminals themselves and seem to be lying under oath about various aspects of the crime. However, Petrocelli seems completely unbothered by this or by the fact that her prosecution is trying to lock up Steve, a teenage kid, for at least the next several decades of his life, even though his alleged involvement in the crime was very minimal and he has no prior history of crime or violence. Petrocelli’s questionable conduct suggests she is far more interested in winning the court case and bolstering her own career than she is in uncovering the truth of what happened with Mr. Nesbitt’s murder, further suggesting that the justice system propagates lies and injustice.

Sandra Petrocelli Quotes in Monster

The Monster quotes below are all either spoken by Sandra Petrocelli or refer to Sandra Petrocelli. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

Most people in our community are decent, hardworking citizens who pursue their own interests legally and without infringing on the rights of others. But there are also monsters in our communities—people who are willing to steal and to kill, people who disregard the rights of others.

Related Characters: Sandra Petrocelli (speaker), Steve Harmon, James King

Related Symbols: Monster

Page Number and Citation: 21

Explanation and Analysis:

[Steve] is writing the word Monster over and over again. A white hand (O’BRIEN’s) takes the pencil from his hand and crosses out all the Monsters.

Related Characters: Steve Harmon, Kathy O’Brien, Sandra Petrocelli

Related Symbols: Monster

Page Number and Citation: 24

Explanation and Analysis:

Miss O’Brien says that Petrocelli is using Bolden’s testimony as part of a trail that will lead to me and James King. I think she is wrong. I think they are bringing out all of these people and letting them look terrible on the stand and sound terrible and then reminding the the jury that they don’t look any different from me and King.

Related Characters: Steve Harmon (speaker), James King, Kathy O’Brien, Sandra Petrocelli, Wendell Bolden

Page Number and Citation: 60

Explanation and Analysis:

STEVE: I thought you’re supposed to be innocent until proven guilty?

O’BRIEN: That’s true, but in reality it depends on how the jury sees the case. If they see it as a contest between the defense and the prosecution as to who’s lying, they’ll vote for the prosecution. The prosecutor walks around looking very important. No one is accusing her of being a bad person. They’re accusing you of being a monster.

Related Characters: Steve Harmon (speaker), Kathy O’Brien (speaker), Sandra Petrocelli

Related Symbols: Monster

Page Number and Citation: 62

Explanation and Analysis:

Sandra Petrocelli Character Timeline in Monster

The timeline below shows where the character Sandra Petrocelli appears in Monster. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...up like he learned to do in school. He gives it the name that the prosecutor gave to him: Monster. (full context)

...that both Steve and James King are on trial for felony murder, and that the prosecutor Sandra Petrocelli is talented and aggressive. She’s trying to get Steve and King sentenced with... (full context)

...bored. King and his attorney Asa Briggs are seated at the other defendant’s table, and Petrocelli is ready to begin. The judge chats with the attorneys about their weekend before ordering... (full context)

In the courtroom, the jury enters and Petrocelli makes her opening remarks. She says that they are here to dispense justice—although most people... (full context)

...each “monster” out and tells him to believe in himself so the jury can, too. Petrocelli closes her remarks by stating that both King and Steve are implicated in the murder... (full context)

José Delgado, Mr. Nesbitt’s employee, is the first to take the stand. Under Petrocelli’s questioning, Delgado recounts that he left the store at 4:30 in the afternoon to go... (full context)

Salvatore Zinzi takes the stand next. Questioned by Petrocelli—whom Briggs accuses of asking leading questions—Zinzi states that he is an inmate at Riker’s Island,... (full context)

The screenplay resumes in the courtroom. Bolden is on the stand, questioned by Petrocelli. Bolden testifies that he’s been arrested in the past for breaking and entering, assault, and... (full context)

...something that is happening to him, rather than something he participates in. O’Brien says that Petrocelli is bringing out her witnesses to build a connection between Steve and King, but Steve... (full context)

Petrocelli questions Detective Karyl on the stand, who investigated Mr. Nesbitt’s murder. He describes the murder... (full context)

...with the robbery and that he was terrified of Bobo, who has a violent reputation. Petrocelli keeps asking leading questions, which both the judge and Briggs criticize. Osvaldo continues that he... (full context)

Petrocelli continues questioning Osvaldo, who claims he participated in the robbery (his job was to stop... (full context)

In his notes, Steve records that O’Brien is angry today because Petrocelli is intentionally manipulating the jury, showing them the grisly photos of the crime scene again... (full context)

Back in the screenplay, four witnesses testify on the stand while Petrocelli questions them. One testifies that the gun that killed Mr. Nesbitt legally belonged to Nesbitt.... (full context)

Steve resumes his screenplay. In the courthouse, O’Brien and Petrocelli chat briefly with the judge before Petrocelli calls Lorelle Henry to the stage, a 58-year-old... (full context)

After Petrocelli is through, Briggs questions Henry, stating that she was given around 20 photographs of different... (full context)

Petrocelli brings Bobo Evans in as a witness. Bobo is large, unkempt, and wearing a wrinkled... (full context)

Bobo says they were eventually supposed to split the money with Osvaldo and Steve. Petrocelli asks what signal Steve gave when he came out of the store, but Bobo only... (full context)

Petrocelli stands to confirm that Bobo saw Steve come out of the drugstore immediately before the... (full context)

...the afternoon of the murder, giving her a lamp he’d bought for her. However, when Petrocelli cross-examines her, King’s cousin admits that she no longer has the lamp, does not know... (full context)

...also needs to break his association with King as much as possible, since that is Petrocelli’s strongest argument for Steve’s supposed guilt. O’Brien is confident that Briggs won’t let King testify,... (full context)

...or involved in any way, nor did he ever agree to be. O’Brien sits and Petrocelli takes her place. She begins questioning Steve about his relationship with King, and Steve responds... (full context)

Petrocelli tries to insinuate that Steve was at the drugstore on the day of the robbery,... (full context)

...Mr. Sawicki describes Steve as an honest, upstanding young man whom he admires very much. Petrocelli cross-examines Mr. Sawicki and argues that since the teacher only sees Steve at school, he... (full context)

...courtroom, Briggs makes his closing argument for the defense of James King. Briggs argues that Petrocelli’s prosecution does not have a single witness to the actual murder and relies entirely on... (full context)

Petrocelli takes her turn for closing remarks, arguing that the defense is trying to focus the... (full context)

Petrocelli argues that the only possible version of events that fits all available evidence is the... (full context)

...of is his appeal, just like all the other guys in jail. Steve thinks about Petrocelli’s claim that he made a “moral decision” and he wonders what decision he made that... (full context)