History Main / IncriminatingIndifference

* One aspect of the controversial case of [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darlie_Routier Darlie Routier]], on death row for stabbing her two sons to death, was a video played at trial of Routier at the funeral laughing and spraying Silly String over her son's grave. The prosecution claimed the video was this trope, but family members pointed out that it was a posthumous celebration of his seventh birthday and the jury wasn't shown an earlier video of a solemn ceremony honouring the children. This had led some of her defenders to say that she was "convicted by the Silly String", although there was other evidence against her.

* In ''Film/SherlockHolmesAGameOfShadows'', Watson draws on his years of observing Holmes' reasoning to uncover an assassin by tripping a waiter at a banquet and watching for the one person too preoccupied with maintaining his disguise to properly react.

* At the start of ''Film/TheShawshankRedemption'', Andy Dufresne is charged with the murder of his wife. Though there is other evidence that points towards him, what seems to really cinch the case is that he showed no grief, described by the judge as "an icy and remorseless" individual. The fact that his wife was killed along with her lover and that this might confuse his grieving process is never addressed. [[spoiler:Sure enough, about two-thirds of the way through the movie, we find out that Andy really was innocent; how can he feel remorse for something he didn't do?]] The rest of the film makes it clear the Andy just has a calm, quiet, emotionally reserved personality.

* At the start of ''Film/TheShawshankRedemption'', the protagonist is charged with the murder of his wife. Though there is other evidence that points towards him, what seems to really cinch the case is that he showed no grief, described by the judge as "an icy and remorseless" individual. The fact that his wife was killed along with her lover and that this might confuse his grieving process is never addressed. [[spoiler:Sure enough, about two-thirds of the way through the movie, we find out that he really was innocent; how can he feel remorse for something he didn't do?]] The rest of the film makes it clear the protagonist just has a calm, quiet, emotionally reserved personality.

* At the start of ''Film/TheShawshankRedemption'', the protagonist is charged with the murder of his wife. Though there is other evidence that points towards him, what seems to really cinch the case was that he showed no grief, described by the judge as "an icy and remorseless" individual. The fact that his wife was killed along with her lover and that this might confuse his grieving process is never addressed. [[spoiler:Sure enough, about two-thirds of the way through the movie, we find out that he really was innocent; how can he feel remorse for something he didn't do?]] The rest of the film makes it clear the protagonist just has a calm, quiet, emotionally reserved personality.
* Subverted in ''Film/{{Star Trek VI|TheUndiscoveredCountry}}''. Scotty notes that the murdered Klingon Chancellor's daughter didn't shed "one bloody tear" and so she must have been the culprit. Spock points out that that in itself is not conclusive since Klingons have no tear ducts. Whether Scotty was intending for this turn of phrase be taken literally is not clear, but it's academic in the end: [[spoiler:not only is she innocent, but the same plotters who arranged for her father to be murdered and for Kirk and [=McCoy=] to take the fall target ''her'' at the climax.]] Given that Klingon culture is big on showing strength, it's likely displaying grief in public isn't something they do generally as well.

** Also played straight in a later episode; a man notices that his daughters have gone missing, about a year after his wife died. Over the course of the episode, we found out that he has a split personality, and is an alcoholic. When one of his two daughters is found dead, he is immediately considered the killer due to his alcoholism causing him some ''serious'' [[HairTriggerTemper anger issues]]. The other girl is later found crying from a nearby forest. [[spoiler: As it turns out, the surviving girl displays no emotion of ''any kind'' when she returns to her empty house. J.J feels that something is wrong and calls the other agents. J.J finds her in the basement and realizes that the daughter killed half of her family and tried to shift the blame on her troubled dad, and the two end up pointing guns at each other. Once the others arrive, the daughter claims that J.J tried to kill her, but nobody is fooled by her act anymore.]]
* ''{{Series/CSI}}'' in general loves this trope and have played it both straight and as a red herring.

* In ''Series/{{Poirot}}'''s adaptation of ''Literature/SadCypress'', one of the reasons why the jury was quick to declare Elinor as guilty is that she showed no remorse to the death of Mary Gerrard. Mary was loved by practically everyone, including Elinor's fiance Roddy, and Elinor is the only one who could have the motive to murder the other girl. As it turns out, Elinor ''did'' want Mary to die, but did not commit the murder.

* Parodied on a Treehouse of Horror episode of ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' when the family hits Flanders with their car and apparently kill him. At the funeral Homer cautions that if they look too sad they'll draw suspicion. [[ActingUnnatural So they walk in with wide smiles]].

* While never accused of the crime (in fact she was one of the victims) something very close to this happened to Emma Jangestig in Sweden 2005. Jangestig and her two small children were assaulted by [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christine_Sch%C3%BCrrer Christine Schürrer]], an ex-girlfriend of the children's father. Schürrer bludgeoned Jangestig and her children with a hammer, killing the children and leaving the mother in a serious condition. In the aftermath of the crimes Jangestig was never seen crying in public and often smiled for the cameras when being interviewed, which sparked a large debate on whether she really cared about her children's deaths at all. Eventually, Jangestig wrote a book titled "''Varför gråter inte Emma?''" ("''Why Doesn't Emma Cry?''") about the murders, her recovery in the hospital, and the aftermath. As the title suggests, the book also deals with why she didn't cry in public and makes it clear that the loss of her children is the biggest tragedy of her life.
* This trope was in full effect and immediately noted by the police officers who responded to Scott Peterson's house when he reported his wife [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Laci_Peterson Laci]] missing, who was also pregnant with his unborn child. They both noted his calm demeanor, and when they went to check the garage, Peterson was more concerned with making certain they didn't scratch the paint on one of his cars than seeing if Laci had been in there. There's also the infamous picture of him ''laughing'' at a candlelight vigil for Laci, taken either before or after he called his mistress and chatted with her about how much he was enjoying the New Year's festivities in Paris.

* This was noted by ''everyone''--friends, neighbors, police, the media--about [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watts_family_murders Christopher Watts]] regarding his missing [[ImperiledInPregnancy pregnant wife]] Shanann and their daughters, despite his attempting to act as if he was concerned.

* Inverted in the ''Franchise/SherlockHolmes'' story when a man is arrested for the murder of his father. The fact that he accepts arrest so calmly and he expected it is used as evidence by the police of his guilt. Holmes, however, points out that it simply shows he was aware of the overwhelming evidence against him and that it was futile to protest; only a guilty man would try and cause a scene.

* Lori Vallow making idle chit-chat with neighbors and police when they show up after her brother Alex Cox called 911 to report that he had shot and killed her husband in "self-defense" in your house, who was nonchalant while nursing a head wound that was way too minor to have been inflicted by the baseball bat he claimed Charles Vallow tried to kill him, then going on to host a pool party at that same house that very night. Incredibly, it didn't set off alarm bells with local police closing the case and not investigating either Lori or Alex any further. Lori would later move from Arizona to Idaho with her kids, J.J. and Tylee, to be close to her new (married) boyfriend, Chad Daybell, whom she had met the previous year. As soon as she did, both J.J. and Tylee disappeared, and she once again didn't seem too bothered by it, neglecting to inform police and even telling numerous people that she had never had any children or that they had died years ago. Chad's wife suddenly died in her sleep just a month later, and both Lori and Chad would then move to Hawaii and get married two weeks after that, still apparently not caring about the missing kids. They were both ''finally'' arrested a few months later[[note]]Alex Cox died of natural causes during this time[[/note]], and an investigation of Chad Daybell's Idaho home revealed the remains of both J.J. and Tylee.

* The DA who prosecuted Susan Smith for [[OffingTheOffspring murdering her sons]] claims to have known she was guilty from the very night she was claiming they'd been kidnapped when he watched the interview they gave to the news. While her estranged husband David looked legitimately terrified, she could be seen smiling and giggling "We're going to be on TV!" She had a similar reaction when the detective questioning her asked her if the alleged carjacker had sexually assaulted her, piquing his suspicions as well. The same DA also doubted that she had any remorse for her actions as she claimed, noting that during her trial, while a tape simulating how her children drowned was played, she played tic-tac-toe. Even the police sketch artist noticed this, citing how she acted hysterical when her husband David was present but was completely matter-of-fact whenever he left and while describing the alleged kidnapper.

* Not having a hysteric emotional response to a horrific event? Understandable. But making idle chit-chat with neighbors and police when they show up after your brother called 911 to report that he had shot and killed your husband (who filed for divorce against you a few months earlier due to you having threatened to murder him) in "self-defense" in your house, an event witnessed by both of your minor children, then going on to host a pool party at that same house that very night? Apparently, Lori Vallow didn't think that would set off alarm bells... and incredibly, ''it didn't'', with local police closing the case and not investigating either Lori or her brother Alex Cox[[note]]who was similarly nonchalant while nursing a head wound that was way too minor to have been inflicted by the baseball bat he claimed Charles Vallow tried to kill him with[[/note]] any further. Lori would later move from Arizona to Idaho with her kids, J.J. and Tylee, to be close to her new (married) boyfriend, Chad Daybell, whom she had met the previous year. As soon as she did, both J.J. and Tylee disappeared, and she once again didn't seem too bothered by it, neglecting to inform police and even telling numerous people that she had never had any children or that they had died years ago. Chad's wife suddenly died in her sleep just a month later, and both Lori and Chad would then move to Hawaii and get married two weeks after that, still apparently not caring about the missing kids. They were both ''finally'' arrested a few months later[[note]]Alex Cox died of natural causes during this time[[/note]], and an investigation of Chad Daybell's Idaho home revealed the remains of both J.J. and Tylee.

* Not having a hysteric emotional response to a horrific event? Understandable. But making idle chit-chat with neighbors and police when they show up after your brother called 911 to report that he had shot and killed your husband (who filed for divorce against you a few months earlier due to you having threatened to murder him) in "self-defense" in your house, an event witnessed by both of your minor children, then going on to host a pool party at that same house that very night? Apparently, Lori Vallow didn't think that would set off alarm bells... and incredibly, ''it didn't'', with local police closing the case and not investigating either Lori or her brother Alex Cox[[note]]who was similarly nonchalant while nursing a head wound that was way too minor to have been inflicted by the baseball bat he claimed Charles Vallow tried to kill him with[[/note]] any further. Lori would later move from Arizona to Idaho with her kids to be close to her new (married) boyfriend, Chad Daybell, whom she had met the previous year. As soon as she did, both of her children disappeared, and she once again didn't seem too bothered by it, neglecting to inform police and even telling numerous people that she had never had any children or that they had died years ago. Chad's wife suddenly died in her sleep just a month later, and both Lori and Chad would then move to Hawaii and get married two weeks after that, still apparently not caring about the missing kids. They were both ''finally'' arrested a few months later[[note]]Alex Cox died of natural causes during this time[[/note]], and an investigation of Chad Daybell's Idaho home revealed the remains of both kids.

* This was noted by ''everyone''--friends, neighbors, police, the media--about [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watts_family_murders Christopher Watts]] regarding his missing [[ImperiledInPregnancy pregnant wife]] Shan'ann and their daughters, despite his attempting to act as if he was concerned.

* This trope was in full effect and immediately noted by the police officers who responded to Scott Peterson's house when he reported his wife [[https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Laci_Peterson Laci]] missing, who was also pregnant with his unborn child. They both noted his calm demeanor, and when they went to check the garage, Peterson was more concerned with making certain they didn't scratch the paint on one of his cars than seeing if Laci had been in there. There's also the infamous picture of him ''laughing'' at a candlelight vigil for Laci, taken either before or after he called his mistress and chatted with her about how much he was enjoying the New Year's festivities in Paris.
* Josh Powell couldn't even be bothered to act concerned about his missing wife [[https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disappearance_of_Susan_Powell Susan]], offering the cops vague, ridiculous answers as to what could have happened to her and even saying he wanted to "''wait a few days''" (time is of the essence in a missing person investigation) before coming to the police station and speaking with them some more.

* This was noticed about [[https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diane_Downs Diane Downs]] from the moment she arrived at a hospital with her three children, claiming that a stranger had shot them all while trying to carjack her--she cared far more about the damage to her car and her own injury than that of her children, ''laughed'' while reenacting the crime for the police, and had the same giddy demeanor when discussing it with the media.

* This was noted by ''everyone''--friends, neighbors, police, the media--about [[https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watts_family_murders Christopher Watts]] regarding his missing [[ImperiledInPregnancy pregnant wife]] Shan'ann and their daughters, despite his attempting to act as if he was concerned.

* TruthInTelevision. This has been cited on many crime shows as the reason why cops get suspicious of supposedly grieving loved ones. Conversely, cops have also gotten leery of those who are overly upset, feeling that they are putting on an act.
* The murder of Kristine Fitzhugh is an inversion. Her husband Kenneth staged the scene to look like she'd fallen on the basement stairs due to unstable shoes he said he'd warned her about. His performance in the interview room trying to sell the story was an over-the-top scenery-chewing performance (including MilkingTheGiantCow) that [[https://youtu.be/F_-KdKJ-s48?t=820 has to be seen to be believed]]. Needless to say, no one believed it. Of course, as most people will be killed by someone they know, the cops have to suspect them in any case, regardless of emotional reaction. Though they might feel bad about having to do it if they show just the right kind of reaction.

* In a case in volume 16 of ''Manga/DetectiveConan'', one of the sisters comments on the fact her brother's fiancée (who she dislikes) has barely reacted to his death, insinuating that she was a GoldDigger. Ran runs after the fiancée to give her something she'd dropped, only to find her crying about her fiancée's death alone. [[spoiler:It turns out she ''is'' the culprit, but it's a lot more complicated than they realized.]]

* Discussed in the ''Literature/{{Animorphs}}'' fanfic ''[[Fanfic/{{Eleutherophobia}} Ghost in the Shell]]''. CNN claims that [[SparedByTheAdaptation Tom]] was a voluntary accomplice of the Yeerks, and they use footage of him looking blank-faced at Rachel's[[note]]who sacrificed herself to end the war against them[[/note]] funeral as evidence of this. In reality, Tom is TheStoic because he has [[FicitonalDisability Post-Infestation Affective Blunting Syndrome]].[[note]]In other words, brain damage caused by being mind-controlled for years.[[/note]]

This trope has been around on television so long that these days [[DiscreditedTrope the subversion is at least as common as the trope]]: the "non emotional" person at the scene makes for an excellent {{red herring}} for the first half hour of a crime procedural, but is rarely the true killer because that would be too easy. You can expect the truly guilty person to have [[CrocodileTears had the waterworks on full blast]], just as expected if only to throw off suspicion.

* In the start of ''Film/TheShawshankRedemption'', the protagonist is charged with the murder of his wife. Though there is other evidence that points towards him, what seems to really cinch the case was that he showed no grief, described by the judge as "an icy and remorseless" individual. The fact that his wife was killed along with her lover and that this might confuse his grieving process is never addressed. [[spoiler:Sure enough, about two-thirds of the way through the movie, we find out that he really was innocent; how can he feel remorse for something he didn't do?]] The rest of the film makes it clear the protagonist just has a calm, quiet, emotionally-reserved personality.

* Camus' ''Literature/TheStranger'' sort of messes with this. Meursault's murder trial paints him as an inhuman monster because he didn't act sad at his mother's funeral. It's a bit of a subversion, as he didn't cry because he didn't really care, and he claimed he killed the man because the sun was in his eyes, but his treatment at the trial still fits this trope. The trope is played to extremes in order to make a satirical point about racism in French-ruled Algiers. The crime Meursault's actually on trial for is murdering an Arabic man, which is noted in the book as not a serious crime - it might get him a year or so in prison. Reflecting that, he has little empathy for the man he killed. As the trial goes on, however, his lack of empathy is noted and [[KangarooCourt the jury realise]] that he didn't cry at his mother's funeral, [[DisproportionateRetribution and he gets the death penalty for it]]. His lack of socially-appropriate emotions is the real crime, rather than an actual murder, because the society he's in don't care that an Arab man was killed.

** When Angel is in the hospital, the ever watchful Sgt. Doakes accuses Dexter of this as part of his ongoing campaign to prove his suspicion that there is "something wrong" with him.

* {{Deconstructed}} in ''Series/{{Unbelievable}}''. The teenager Marie Adler is subjected to a brutal attack by a SerialRapist in her apartment. Afterwards, her former foster-mother Judith comes to suspect her of making a FalseRapeAccusation, because she doesn't see her showing any strong emotions after what happened, and her telling this to the police officers investigating Marie's case makes them come to the same conclusion. To the viewer, however, it is made quite clear that Marie's lack of reaction is because she is still in a state of shock and trauma after the rape, and is actually trying her hardest to avoid thinking about what happened. Her other foster-mother Colleen points out this to Judith when they talk, noting that people react differently in individual cases.

* Played with on ''WesternAnimation/{{Daria}}'': in "The Misery Chick", when ace football star Tommy Sherman is killed when a goal post dedicated to him falls on him, at least four characters (Kevin, Britney, Mr. O'Neill, and Sandy) come to Daria asking for advice on how to cope, since she is reacting to the tragedy with such relative indifference.

* While never accused of the crime (in fact she was one of the victims) something very close to this happened to Emma Jangestig in Sweden 2005. Jangestig and her two small children were assaulted by [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christine_Sch%C3%BCrrer Christine Schürrer]], an ex-girlfriend of the children's father. Schürrer bludgeoned Jangestig and her children with a hammer, killing the children and leaving the mother in a serious condition. In the aftermath of the crimes Jangestig was never seen crying in public and often smiled for the cameras when being interviewed, which sparked a large debate on whether she really cared about her children's deaths at all. Eventually, Jangestig wrote a book titled "''Varför gråter inte Emma?''" ("''Why Doesn't Emma Cry?''") about the murders, her recovery in the hospital and the aftermath. As the title suggests, the book also deals with why she didn't cry in public and makes it clear that the loss of her children is the biggest tragedy of her life.

* The DA who prosecuted Susan Smith for murdering her sons claims to have known she was guilty from the very night she was claiming they'd been kidnapped when he watched the interview they gave to the news. While her estranged husband David looked legitimately terrified, she could be seen smiling and giggling "We're going to be on TV!" She had a similar reaction when the detective questioning her asked her if the alleged carjacker had sexually assaulted her, piquing his suspicions as well. The same DA also doubted that she had any remorse for her actions as she claimed, noting that during her trial, while a tape simulating how her children drowned was played, she played tic-tac-toe. Even the police sketch artist noticed this, citing how she acted hysterical when her husband David was present, but was completely matter-of-fact whenever he left and while describing the alleged kidnapper.

* The murder of Kristine Fitzhugh is an inversion. Her husband, Kenneth, staged the scene to look like she'd fallen on the basement stairs due to unstable shoes he said he'd warned her about. His performance in the interview room trying to sell the story was an over-the-top scenery-chewing performance (including MilkingTheGiantCow) that [[https://youtu.be/F_-KdKJ-s48?t=820 has to be seen to be believed]]. Needless to say, no one believed it. Of course, as most people will be killed by someone they know, the cops have to suspect them in any case, regardless of emotional reaction. Though they might feel bad about having to do it if they show just the right kind of reaction.

* Han Tak Lee, infamously imprisoned for arson and murder after his daughter perished in a house fire, was targeted for suspicion mainly because of his emotionless demeanor when discussing his daughter's death (that and the fact that he had packed a suitcase shortly before escaping the house). He was exonerated 24 years later due to evidence that the house fire could not have been intentional. Its generally accepted that the lack of emotion was due both to cultural differences (Lee is a first-generation Korean immigrant) and Lee's general unflappability, both of which illustrate serious problems with trying to apply this trope to real life.

* Light in ''Manga/DeathNote'' agonizes over whether or not it would be wise to visibly grieve when his father nearly dies. He ends up being a bit [[LargeHam hammy]].

* ''Webcomic/SleeplessDomain'': When Cassidy and Undine are paired for sparring during their training club, Cassidy proceeds to [[spoiler:attack Undine, expressing suspicion that she was somehow responsible for the fate of Team Alchemical]]. Among the reasons she cites for this is just how quickly Undine seemed to bounce back after her teammates' death, continuing to go out on patrol and joining the Magical Girl Power Training Club "like nothing happened" less than a week later. Readers, however, know just how heavily these events have weighed on Undine and, in fact, her joining the club was primarily to get strong enough to ''do'' something about it.

* In the start of ''Film/TheShawshankRedemption'', the protagonist is charged with the murder of his wife. Though there is other evidence that points towards him, what seems to really cinch the case was that he showed no grief, described by the judge as "an icy and remorseless" individual. The fact that his wife was killed along with her lover and that this might confuse his grieving process is never addressed. [[spoiler:Sure enough, about two-thirds of the way through the movie, we find out that he really was innocent; how can he feel remorse for something he didn't do?]] The rest of the film makes it clear the protagonist just has a calm, quiet, emotionally-reserved personality.
* Subverted in ''Film/{{Star Trek VI|TheUndiscoveredCountry}}''. Scotty notes that the murdered Klingon Chancellor's daughter didn't shed "one bloody tear" and so she must have been the culprit. Spock points out that that in itself is not conclusive since Klingons have no tear ducts. Whether Scotty was intending for this turn of phrase be taken literally is not clear, but it's academic in the end: [[spoiler:not only is she innocent, but the same plotters who arranged for her father to be murdered and for Kirk and [=McCoy=] to take the fall target ''her'' at the climax.]] Given that Klingon culture is big on showing strength, it's likely displaying grief in public isn't something they do generally as well.
* ''Film/TheDeadlyBees'': During an inquiry into the death of his wife (by bee swarm), Mr. Hargrove displays less emotion towards his wife's death than protagonist Vicki, who was only a guest and knew them both less than a couple of weeks. This only strengthens the theory that Hargrove set his bees on his wife, whom he openly hated.[[note]]In the original novel, he is, indeed, the killer. Here, the real killer was his rival beekeeper, Manfred. Hargrove was merely an innocent {{Jerkass}}.[[/note]]

* In ''Film/CrookedHouse'', Charles notes that no one in Aristide Leonides' family (except his second wife) seems at all distressed by his murder. Reactions range from crocodile tears to a grudging admittance that they'll miss him, to outright admission that they hated him. As Charles notes, this makes everyone look like a viable suspect.

* Camus' ''Literature/TheStranger'' sort of messes with this. Meursault's murder trial paints him as an inhuman monster because he didn't act sad at his mother's funeral. It's a bit of a subversion, as he didn't cry because he didn't really care, and he claimed he killed the man because the sun was in his eyes, but his treatment at the trial still fits this trope. The trope is played to extremes in order to make a satirical point about racism in French-ruled Algiers. The crime Meursault's actually on trial for is murdering an Arabic man, which is noted in the book as not a serious crime - it might get him a year or so in prison. Reflecting that, he has little empathy for the man he killed. As the trial goes on, however, his lack of empathy is noted and [[KangarooCourt the jury realise]] that he didn't cry at his mother's funeral, [[DisproportionateRetribution and he gets the death penalty for it]]. His lack of socially-appropriate emotions is the real crime, rather than an actual murder, because the society he's in don't care that an Arab man was killed.
* Inverted in the ''Franchise/SherlockHolmes'' story when a man is arrested for the murder of his father. The fact that he accepts arrest so calmly and he expected it is used as evidence by the police of his guilt. Holmes, however, points out that it simply shows he was aware of the overwhelming evidence against him and that it was futile to protest; only a guilty man would try and cause a scene.

* Averted in Stephen King's novel ''Literature/TheDarkHalf.'' The protagonist is suspected of murder, and the Sheriff is so certain he's guilty by the ton of evidence that he's not noticing the protagonist's genuine reaction of surprise and shock after being told of the murder. (The murders are actually being committed by a supernatural doppelganger of the protagonist.) The two state troopers with the Sheriff finally have to pull the Sheriff aside and say that the reactions of the suspect are that of an innocent man. The Sheriff calms down enough to realize something very strange is going on, and that his first impressions may be wrong.
* An extreme example can be found in Philip K. Dick's ''Literature/DoAndroidsDreamOfElectricSheep'': no matter how well replicants can simulate feelings and hide their LackOfEmpathy when submitted to the Voight-Kampff test, a minimal delay in emotional response is enough to incriminate them.
* A variation in Madeleine L'Engle's ''Literature/ASwiftlyTiltingPlanet''. Zillah, a Native American woman, doesn't cry or scream while giving birth, due to her culture. The suspicious Puritan townspeople (who already blame her for the current drought) use this as evidence that she's a witch.
* Invoked in the ''Literature/MissMarple'' short story, "Tape Measure Murder": the victim's husband is a believer in the Stoic philosophy and takes pride in showing no emotion at the news of his wife's murder. Naturally, everyone else is less impressed and more suspicious about this. Miss Marple is the only one who believes him innocent because he reminds her of an uncle who was also a Stoic.

* ''Literature/DeadEndJobMysteries'': In the WhereAreTheyNowEpilogue of the first book, this is what results in a "Guilty" verdict for the killer (along with all the other physical evidence against them) - they showed no emotion during the trial.

* In a ''Series/CSIMiami'' episode they came down hard on the husband of the victim as despite seeming genuinely shattered he had returned to work immediately. This was because he worked in a family business and it was helping him cope with his grief but the CSI's still remarked it pointed toward him being responsible, despite his actions mirroring practically every detective and CSI on TV, including in their show, who has suffered a bereavement without the added reasoning of family being present at the work as well.
* ''{{Series/CSI}}'' in general loves this trope and have played it both straight and as a red herring.
* Cameron in ''Series/TerminatorTheSarahConnorChronicles'' has a problem convincing anyone that she didn't [[spoiler:kill Riley]] due to her inability to show anything close to grieving. Well, that and the fact that she's the only one with motive.

* ''Series/ThePretender'' has a variation in an episode when five crooks suspected of killing a young girl (plus Jarod) wind up [[LockedInARoom Locked in a Warehouse]] after a failed heist. One freaks out when he finds a child bed with a photograph, but another tells them to pull yourself together and points out [[INeverSaidItWasPoison it's not the girl in question]].

* After [[spoiler:Rita's murder]], ''Series/{{Dexter}}'' initially comes off as emotionally detached (particularly in his clinical police call). Quinn (who has a grudge) is alone in finding it suspicious; most of the other people at the precinct think he's just in shock, and Debra worries that he isn't allowing himself to grieve.
** When Angel is in the hospital, the ever watchful Sgt. Doakes accuses Dexter of this as part of his ongoing campaign to prove his suspicion that there is "something wrong" with him.
* The subversion was lampshaded in an episode of ''Series/{{Bones}}'' in which they interviewed friends of the victim at a fraternity. The frat members who knew more than they were letting on were pointed out by Dr. Sweets because they were too ''consistent'' in how sad they appeared (genuine grief varying in intensity and nature from moment to moment) which indicated that they were concentrating on appearing sad rather than actually being sad.
* In ''Series/HomeImprovement'', Tim's boss and friend Mr. Binford passes away, and when he doesn't seem to be sad enough both Jill and Al get on his case about it. He doesn't see what the problem is if he doesn't get all weepy, but it then bothers him when his son seems to be learning the lesson that MenDontCry. For the record, Tim does eventually break down at the funeral. They also explain that the reason why Tim handles grief so well is that his dad died when he was pretty young and he knows how to cope.

* On ''Series/MurderSheWrote'' Jessica becomes suspicious of a murdered actress's fiance because he does not seem broken up about the death and does not seem very concerned about what happens to the body. When Jessica confronts him about it, he gives her a philosophical spiel about the body being just an empty husk that does not mean anything to him. It turns out that [[spoiler: the two were only pretending to be engaged so he would have a reason to hang around the theater where the actress worked. The man is writing a book about a famous star actress performing at the theater and the victim agreed to help him in return for him providing her with blackmail material she could use to get the role she wanted. He did not kill her.]]
* In Series/{{Poirot}}'s adaptation of ''Literature/SadCypress'', one of the reasons why the jury was quick to declare Elinor as guilty is that she showed no remorse to the death of Mary Gerrard. Mary was loved by practically everyone, including Elinor's fiance Roddy, and Elinor is the only one who could have the motive to murder the other girl. As it turns out, Elinor ''did'' want Mary to die, but did not commit the murder.
* ''Series/HomicideHunter'': A cop working with Lt. Joe Kenda (the "hunter" in question) notes this as the reason why he's suspicious of a missing woman's husband--aside from the man's detached demeanor, the man hasn't followed up with the police once since reporting his wife missing several days ago--something highly unlikely for a concerned spouse.
* Cited on ''many'' crime shows, both fictional and real, as the reason why cops get suspicious of supposedly grieving loved ones. Inverted too--they get just as suspicious of people acting too upset, suspecting that they're putting on an act.
* ''Series/LawAndOrderUK''. In the episode "Masquerade", prosecutor Alesha Philips becomes suspicious of the young woman they've charged with murder, who is claiming to have acted in self-defense after the victim raped her, noting that she's completely blasé about having to testify, citing that most rape victims are usually terrified at the prospect--as she herself was.
* This was imported from the [[Series/LawAndOrder Mother Ship]] episode "Good Girl" in which Van Buren and the detectives suspect a girl claiming self-defense of being too calm in describing the alleged assault in front of her parents. An actual victim would be far too uncomfortable to recount it, especially in front of her father.
* In ''True Crime Files'', a docu-series, there was an episode that dramatized the real-life murder of Sylvia "Maggie" Locascio. When police were investigating the crime scene after the discovery of her body in her Florida mansion, her son Eddie Jr. came home and was stopped by police, who became suspicious by his seeming lack of surprise upon being informed of his mother's death. [[SubvertedTrope It was]] a RedHerring: Eddie was innocent, and the real killer was a hitman hired by his father who wanted to kill her over their very messy divorce proceedings.
* ''Series/GeneralHospital''. After Sonny's ex-girlfriend Brenda is hit by a car, he goes to confront his father-in-law about it. When the man has no reaction to the fact that his daughter Lily was injured as well (she sprained her wrist pulling Brenda out of the way), it confirms his suspicions that this was a hit set up by him (the man's spies must have already told him that Lily was hurt, but otherwise okay, hence his non-reaction).

* In the "Rhea Reynolds" episode of ''Series/NipTuck'', Dr. Christian Troy realizes that the titular patient is ''not'' the latest victim of the SerialRapist/mutilator The Carver when not only does she have zero reaction to him telling her that he was a victim also, she asks about getting her lips enhanced and/or her nose fixed during the procedure to repair her (self-induced) scars.

* In ''VideoGame/LunarTheSilverStar'', Lemia Ausa accuses Alex of planning to overthrow the Magic Guild and Althena with absolutely nothing to back her claim, other than to point out how his lack of response afterward is proof that he cannot deny what he knows is true. She then promptly has him locked up and sentenced to death without even giving him a trial. [[spoiler:Turns out she was Xenobia in disguise. She knew Alex had no plans to do anything of the sort, she was just using her position to get rid of a possible threat to Ghaleon and stir up unrest in Vane.]]

* Parodied on a Treehouse of Horror episode of ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' when the family hits Flanders with their car and apparently kill him. At the funeral Homer cautions that if they look too sad they'll draw suspicion. So they walk in with wide smiles.

* [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lindy_Chamberlain-Creighton Lindy Chamberlain]] was wrongly accused and convicted of murdering her baby daughter, and the media made hay of the fact that she didn't act the way they thought was right. She was probably dazed or numb with grief, but to them, the fact that she wasn't bawling her eyes out made her guilty. She was eventually released...but all up, it was not one of the Australian legal system or media's proudest moments.

* The DA who prosecuted Susan Smith for murdering her sons claims to have known she was guilty from the very night she was claiming they'd been kidnapped when he watched the interview they gave to the news. While her estranged husband David looked legitimately terrified, she could be seen smiling and giggling "We're going to be on TV!"
** She had a similar reaction when the detective questioning her asked her if the alleged carjacker had sexually assaulted her, piquing his suspicions as well.
** The same DA also doubted that she had any remorse for her actions as she claimed, noting that during her trial, while a tape simulating how her children drowned was played, she played tic-tac-toe.
** Even the police sketch artist noticed this, citing how she acted hysterical when her husband David was present, but was completely matter-of-fact whenever he left and while describing the alleged kidnapper.