The book Runaway Jury by John Grisham focused more on the aspects relating to the Jury then on anything else. In his earlier books he had concentrated on witness protection, justice as opposed to the law, racism, the mafia, technicalities, conspiracies etc.

In the film the Tobacco companies have formed a cartel to protect their mutual interests and have pooled their resources to do so. The defense attorney they select to fight on their behalf when the Pyrex tobacco company is being sued for damages. Their lawyer works from the shadows and lets Mr. Cable his front man do all the talking. They are not averse to jury tampering and pressure them in different ways. They blackmail one particular witness and bribe another. When one of the jurors Nicholas Easter finds that his apartment has been broken into and shows the video proof to the judge he decides to sequester the jury.