The Lincoln Lawyer Season 3 Ending Explained: Who Killed Glory Days

This article contains discussions of suicide, police misconduct, and substance use disorder.

The Lincoln Lawyer season 3 weaves together a tense story of corruption that continues adding new pieces to the puzzle until the very end, finally answering the question of who killed Glory Days and why. The story of The Lincoln Lawyer season 3, which comes from Michael Connelly’s The Gods of Guilt, picks up from where season 2 ended with Mickey deciding whether to take on the case of Julian La Cosse, the man accused of killing his friend and former client, Gloria Dayton aka Glory Days. Because he believes Julian’s innocence, Mickey agrees to represent him in his trial.

As Mickey and the other Lincoln Lawyer characters on his team look further into the case, they discover a massive conspiracy involving DEA agent James De Marco and a drug cartel. The more they try to expose the truth, the more pushback they get from the prosecutor, William Forsythe, and the former police detective/DA investigator, Neil Bishop. After Julian gets stabbed by another prison inmate, the story comes to a head in a fast-paced and disturbing ending that finally answers the season’s central question.

Who Really Killed Glory Days In Lincoln Lawyer

Glory Days’ Murder Was Part Of A Bigger Conspiracy

Though Julian La Cosse is accused of murdering Glory Days in The Lincoln Lawyer, the show quickly reveals that Glory Day was most likely killed at the behest of Agent De Marco because she was subpoenaed to testify about him ordering her to plant the gun in Hector Moya’s home. What’s not revealed until Neil Bishop takes the stand is the fact that De Marco didn’t use someone else to kill Glory; he did it himself. Bishop notified De Marco when she got home, and the agent went inside through the back entrance.

The exact events within the house are unknown, since the only people who could speak to them are dead as of the end of The Lincoln Lawyer season 3. Based on the autopsy, it’s probable that Agent De Marco grabbed Glory Days’ neck, breaking her hyoid bone. At some point, the neighbor heard yelling, but it’s unclear whether that was the interaction with Julian earlier or a fight between Glory Days and De Marco. However, at some point, the agent set a fire and left the house, telling Bishop that the woman was already dead before he went in.

Why Neil Bishop Took His Own Life In The Courtroom

Agent De Marco Put Neil Bishop’s Life In Danger

One of the most tragic and distressing moments at the end of The Lincoln Lawyer season 3 is Neil Bishop dying by suicide on the witness stand. Because the DA’s investigator brought a second gun with him onto the stand and didn’t surrender it to the bailiff, it’s clear this was his plan all along. The decision was rooted in the fact that he was under the thumb of Agent De Marco, a dangerous man with no morals who had killed before.

Suicide is never the answer. If you or someone you love is experiencing suicidal ideation, please call 988 or visit 988Lifeline.org (US) or FindAHelpline.com (international).

If Neil Bishop had been involved with De Marco’s actions throughout the season, as it seems, the investigator would have known about De Marco trying to kill Mickey and silence the sex workers who could speak out against him. With this knowledge, Bishop knew his life would be in danger after speaking out about De Marco on the stand and didn’t see another way out.

What Happens To James De Marco After The La Cosse Trial

James De Marco Faces Justice But Not Through The Legal System

When Bishop goes on the stand and starts telling the truth, a DEA lawyer texts De Marco about what’s going on, causing the corrupt agent to flee from the area. Unfortunately, Cisco can’t stop him despite his best efforts. However, this doesn’t mean the agent gets off scot-free. Four months after the trial, Izzy opens an envelope to see a picture of De Marco hanging with a snake around his neck. Rather than helping the DEA and District Attorney find him, Hector Moya engages in vigilante justice.

While the show doesn’t confirm his exact reasoning, it can be surmised that Moya wanted revenge for the corrupt agent setting him up and sending him to jail. Additionally, before his death, De Marco was working for a competitor drug cartel, taking business away from Moya and his cartel. As such, Moya killing De Marco is a two-birds, one-stone situation.

Why Mickey Goes After The District Attorney After Julian’s Trial

Money Is The Only Way That Mickey Can Make The DA Pay For Their Corruption

After Julian’s trial, Mickey becomes extremely depressed and hard on himself because he realizes that the system failed Glory Days, Julian, and Eddie Rojas. With Agent De Marco’s disappearance, there would be no legal justice. He even considers quitting until Hayley says one thing that reinvigorates his desire to fight – “The system will never work if people don’t make it work.” Her respect and appreciation for his job helps him see why he does what he does.

With her statement in mind, he decides to make the system work by making the District Attorney’s office face the consequences of their failure and corruption. He hits them where it hurts in the finale of The Lincoln Lawyer by making them pay Julian for his wrongful imprisonment, and he gives some of the settlement money to Eddie’s mom. This might not be the justice he desired, but it’s some way for him to make things right.

Who’s Dead In Mickey Haller’s Trunk (& How It Sets Up The Lincoln Lawyer Season 4)

The Ending Of The Lincoln Lawyer Season 3 Sets Up Micheal Connelly’s The Law Of Innocence

Like the end of The Lincoln Lawyer season 2, the season 3 finale sets up the story for season 4. When the officer opens Mickey Haller’s trunk, he finds a dead body that will look familiar to viewers. Sam Scales, the dead man, is a con artist and Mickey’s client who owes the law firm a significant amount of money. Earlier in The Lincoln Lawyer season 3, Mickey publicly tells Sam that he’ll be dead if he doesn’t pay them – an exaggerated statement that will probably come back to bite the lawyer.

Given the means, motive, and opportunity, Mickey will most definitely get charged with murdering Sam Scales.

Given the means, motive, and opportunity, Mickey will most definitely get charged with murdering Sam Scales. Consequently, he’ll have to fight in court for his innocence instead of defending a client – the central plot in the Michael Connelly book The Laws of Innocence. Luckily, he won’t have to go through this alone since Lorna now has her law license.

Eddie’s Death In The Lincoln Lawyer Season 3 Explained

Eddie’s Death Is A Catalyst In Mickey And Hayley’s Character Arcs

The Lincoln Lawyer season 3 introduces a new character – Eddie Rojas – who has a significant connection to Mickey and his family, making him an ideal narrative tool. The story builds up his lovability with the audience, ripping him away right after they grow attached. When returning from the prison, a car speeds up, ramming into Mickey and Eddie full force. The car flips over multiple times, so it’s a miracle that Mickey even survived with minimal injuries. Unfortunately, Eddie wasn’t so lucky.

The execution of this character arc forces the viewers to feel the same devastation as Mickey and Hayley after losing their loved one. It’s easy to understand why Hayley blames her father, even if her anger is misdirected. Additionally, Mickey becomes more desperate to solve the case since Glory Days and Eddie are both victims now, explaining why he takes massive risks that could end his career, like blackmailing Neil Bishop and forging Julian’s signature. He always toed the line of ethics when finding loopholes in his case, but he becomes more reckless in his efforts after Eddie’s death.

What Happens To Izzy’s Studio & Dance Career

Izzy Shifts Her Career Aspirations For Her Own Wellbeing

Though Izzy wants to pursue her dream of professionally dancing, her dance studio doesn’t pan out how she hoped. Her brand-new business couldn’t fight back against the established gym down the street with more marketing, money, and clientele. Ultimately, she cuts her losses by renting out the studio to a dance TV show. It seems like she’s phasing into a more administrative role, renting out her studio for other purposes besides dance classes.

As for Izzy’s dance career, she auditions to be a dancer on the TV show, but she doesn’t take the job. Her decision heavily relates to her sobriety. She sees her friend injured and taking prescription pain medications, and she realizes that one wrong move while dancing could result in her relapsing into active addiction. Luckily, Mickey offers her the office manager job, providing the money and stability that she needs to survive.

The Real Meaning Of The Lincoln Lawyer Season 3’s Ending

Mickey’s Speech To The District Attorney Relays The Season’s Core Message

The entirety of The Lincoln Lawyer season 3 explores corruption and misconduct within the police, DA’s office, and government, making it one of the few great legal dramas willing to paint these systems in a negative light. The finale of the season pushes the message that people who stand by in the face of corruption are just as culpable as those who are committing immoral acts.

The DA’s office and the DEA would rather protect their own reputation than take steps toward justice. However, the ending of The Lincoln Lawyer season 3 isn’t without hope. Mickey’s continued efforts to get justice for Julian De Cosse, Glory Days, and Eddie Rojas show that good people exist who are willing to fight against wrongdoing and push for change. Moreover, Andy’s choice to share evidence with the competition proves that not everyone within a system is willing to stand by and allow injustice.