'The Trial' Ending On Netflix Explained: Was Linda Monaco Guilty?

Image by Arianna Lanzuisi/Canale 5/Netflix

“The Trial” (“Il Processo”) is the absorbing courtroom drama now streaming on Netflix. At the heart of the series is a dizzying amount of interpersonal dynamics that weave into a crime story riddled with boiling points and explosive personalities. As you can imagine, it all leads to a nail-biting ending for Season 1.

If you have finished Season 1 and want the ending explained, or you just want to know how it all concludes, keep reading. Albeit I do think the series is well worth your time as it compellingly revolves around if Linda Monaco will get found guilty, and if she is actually innocent. This is the ending of “The Trial” on Netflix, explained.


Spoilers for the ending of “The Trial” Season 1 on Netflix are discussed below.

Let us get right into it! The Season 1 finale of “The Trial” is jam-packed with the answers that viewers wait to get for ten episodes, and they are worthwhile. Of course, the ending also sets up Season 2, which is a growing trend among shows that feel like miniseries. Breaking it down question and answer style (like I did with “Absentia” Season 2), it is time to explain what happened.

Is Linda Monaco Found Guilty?

Elena produces the receipt she finds in the evidence box that seems to verify Linda Monaco’s alibi, and Linda is hence fore found not guilty in “The Trial” finale. If it all seemed a little too convenient, you are onto something. While taking her dad to dinner at the place the murder happened, Elena learns that the receipts are not accurate.

It is the result of a Daylight Savings Time discrepancy. Realizing that it means the window for Linda to have committed the murder is still open, Elena joins forces with Ruggero to figure out the truth. For his part, Ruggero already suspects the truth. More on that in a minute.

Did Linda Monaco Kill Angela?

Despite her persuasive denials, yes, but it was not a calculated murder. According to the theory that Elena and Ruggero collaboratively develop of the crime in the ending of “The Trial,” Linda confronted a haughty Angela. Outraged by Angela’s taunting, Linda pushed her to the ground.


Angela retaliated by throwing in Linda’s face that she was pregnant with her husband’s baby. Incensed, Linda took her foot clad in a stiletto heel and stomped on her face. The heel penetrated Angela’s eye and instantly killed her. The Monacos’ cleaner then went in to cover it up as a shaken Linda returned to the party. Discovered by Ruggero, blood on Linda’s heel corroborates the theory.

Is Linda Re-Arrested?

Not in the finale. Unlike the US legal system, it seems that the Italian prosecution will be able to appeal Linda’s not guilty verdict. Elena and Ruggero appear poised to work together to bring Linda down in a prospective Season 2 of “The Trial.” A sign neither of them are all that empathetic with the potential scenario they posed.

In it, Linda was provoked by a terribly unsympathetic Angela. It is in no way first-degree murder, and I could see an argument that it was manslaughter. In the theory postulated by Elena and Ruggero, Linda did not plan to murder Angela beforehand. Hence, it was not necessarily intentional. She clearly wanted to inflict harm, but not necessarily death, as it was a single blow.

What Happened With Elena?

She found out that she is pregnant and does not know if her husband or former flame/Angela’s father is the dad. “The Trial” ends with Elena keeping the baby news from both men and planning to tell the father when she finds out who that is. So, a bit of a cliffhanger where that matter is concerned.


It is not lost on me that the timeline for Elena’s hearing regarding her law license will occur near her due date. I am not entirely sure where this storyline is headed or why she broke up with Angela’s father again. He was incredibly supportive of her and deserved better. Here is hoping “The Trial” is not setting up an Elena/Ruggero coupling.

How The Ending Setup Season 2

After a season spent squaring off in court, “The Trial” ending indicates that Elena and Ruggero are going to team-up to bring down Linda for manslaughter. A cause célèbre that would be grating to watch an entire season dedicated to after watching Linda get prosecuted throughout Season 1.

Ruggero is a fascinating character who would be fun to follow in another case. “The Trial” seemed to be setting that up until the finale’s ending minutes hinted at an alternative turn of events. I would rather see Ruggero move on to another case and for a Season 2 to chronicle it than for him to pursue Linda.

What I Thought Of The Ending

It was bittersweet. Elena redeemed herself by providing the evidence that set Linda free. However, she refused to see how horrible of a person her biological daughter was. It may be uncomfortable for her to admit, but Angela’s taunts brought about her end. Had she been mature and walked away from Linda, prioritizing her unborn child (especially as things escalated), it would have turned out different.


Up until its ending, I could not help feeling that “The Trial” was trying to convince viewers that Angela’s actions did not matter in shaping her demise. Well, I beg to differ. Another season seeking “justice” for such a horrible person holds no appeal, mainly because the incident was not a cold-blooded act of calculated murder.

As a miniseries, “The Trial” is an engrossing tale about the domino effect one’s actions have on their own fate and the responsibility they should take in creating it. At least, that was my takeaway. Another season would not undermine the creative integrity of Season 1 or its ending. However, an anthological take with Ruggero in the driver’s seat would be my preference.

If you want to check out the ending and the series as a whole, “The Trial” (“Il Processo”) is currently streaming on Netflix, along with a lot of other fantastic viewing options on the streamer.