Question: Why did the sheriff claim that it was his own hunch that made him take it upon himself to see about any reports about a 1964 Pontiac Tempest stolen or abandoned? Shouldn't he have said something like, "At the request of Mr. Gambini, I investigated whether there were any"? Is the sheriff simply looking to steal some glory and take some credit for the turnaround of the case?
Jazetopher
7th Dec 2006
My Cousin Vinny (1992)
Answer: The sheriff made a point of telling Vinny that he doesn't work for the defense and Vinny should "do his own investigation." He's the local sheriff in a small town, while Vinny and the kids are unpopular and unwelcome visitors. The sheriff probably didn't want to appear like he was doing them any favors.
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Chosen answer: He never says that it was "his" idea. The actual quote from the movie is that on "a" hunch he looked it up. From the way it is worded in the movie, it appears he said it this way in order to appear impartial in bringing any new evidence to the court's attention, not necessarily just information that would benefit the defendant's case.
Jazetopher