What happened to Billy in the Accused Season 1 finale?

ACCUSED: L-R: Michael Glen Grant and Keith Carradine in the “Billy’s Story” season finale episode of ACCUSED airing Tuesday, May 9 (9:01-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX. ©2023 Fox Media LLC. CR: Steve Wilkie/FOX
ACCUSED: L-R: Michael Glen Grant and Keith Carradine in the “Billy’s Story” season finale episode of ACCUSED airing Tuesday, May 9 (9:01-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX. ©2023 Fox Media LLC. CR: Steve Wilkie/FOX

It looked like Billy was willing to kill to protect his son in the Accused Season 1 finale. Is that what happened? Was he found guilty in the end?

In the season finale, we got to see Billy, an aging rock star who was dealing with more than just working on his final album. His son was fighting addiction, putting his son’s daughter at risk. Up to this point, Billy and his wife had done everything they could to help their son but it got to the point where they had to put their granddaughter first.

After their son, Leo, got clean, it looked like things were on the up. Then Leo overheard Billy making it clear that he didn’t like the version of the song Leo adapted from the past, and that sent Leo down another spiral. He took more pills and then took his daughter out on the boat, which is when he fell asleep at the wheel and nearly caused an accident.

It doesn’t help that Jojo’s mother has turned back up in the picture looking for money. As a drug addict too, Billy and his wife realize they need to get full custody of their granddaughter.

Was Billy found guilty on the Accused Season 1 finale?

It looked like a confrontation with Jojo’s mother was going to be the reason Billy was on trial. That wasn’t the case, after all. Billy did hold Jojo’s mother and her boyfriend at gunpoint but it was to get Jojo’s mother to sign parental rights over to Billy. That meant Leo couldn’t argue too much against it.

That’s when Leo took matters into his own hands. He didn’t go out to get his daughter from his sister like everyone thought he would. He decided to overdose on drugs.

Billy and his wife got there in what would have been time to save him. However, Billy’s wife decided to break the syringe on the needle to prevent administering help. By the time paramedics arrived, it was too late to do anything. However, Billy took the fall for the entire situation. He knew Jojo would need her grandmother and not him.

Of course, Billy was found guilty. The judge made it clear that while she understood what Billy had done, the law is very clear. Preventing life-saving help is illegal. Even with his age and failing health, she sentenced him to four years, noting that it could be a life sentence for him. The episode did end with Billy handing his wedding ring to his wife, and then he went off to face his sentence.

What did you think of the Accused Season 1 finale? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Accused is available to stream on Hulu.