This scene beings back the topic of free will that we have encountered in other movies. The lawyer brought up the question of if the criminal had free will. If he did not then should he be punished for something he can not control. If he does then why can he not be good? Why does his mind tell him to do those types of things? Does a person with a mental illness have free will?
The scene also questions in which hands should the authority lie in. According to Nihilism there should be no authority figure and the power should be in the people's hand. This is demonstrated in this scene through the mob court case. Yet the mob is unwilling to hear the defense lawyer and are overcome by their own emotions. This is to represent the disorder society would face if the power was distribute according to the Nihilistic ideology. However, the movie does not show the police which traditionally are the authority to be an better. They violated the peoples' rights in order to complete their duties.
I also liked the trial scene. The main idea I got from the mob's response to the defense is that if you as a criminal are able to control your impulses, it it possible for you to put them to good use (like in the case of the association of beggars). But if you are incapable of controlling them and have to rely on institutions like the police and mental hospitals to keep other people safe, maybe society should just get rid of you. I also notice what you mention about police violating people's rights to try to get the killer. The people in the whole town turned into a paranoid and suspicious group of vigilantes. Under this circumstances the government tends to make things worse by violating people's privacy with the excuse of doing their job. I think the movie does make you question the issue of free will.
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