"Summer Storm" (1944) with Everett Edward Horton

Disregard this misleading movie poster. The film takes place in 1919 and is a film version of Anton Chekov's 1884 novel "The Shooting Party", with the screenplay written by Rowland Leigh.

The trick with this film was how to convey Chekov's 1884 beliefs in Justice, and it's meaning, in pre Revolutionary Russia, with the plight of it's main characters in a post Revolutionary Soviet Union 35 years later. And to make it work.

When all is said and done Rowland Leigh did the remarkable  with a screenplay based on an adaptation by Michael O'Hara. The message i got from the film is the same i took away from the novel.

The question is clear to me; is justice truly blind, or is it just blind to the facts? Or, is the only pure justice one's own conscience; the verdict which one never evades or truly escapes?

With stars George Sanders, Linda Darnell, and a brilliantly nuanced performance by Edward Everett Horton, that question is posed beauifully, and in the end is answered perfectly.

The film is available for free, without commercials, on you tube. The link is as follows: https://youtu.be/7xZOZmoWEag But disregard that bizarre poster! 
 

In Plain View - Probable Cause

We have a situation in Charlotte, North Carolina, where a man is flashing his neighbor’s wives and children from his front doorway; as well as his garage; where he works out in the nude. The Police claim to be powerless to do anything about this. They say he is not breaking the law.  Here is the N.C Statute pertaining to Indecent Exposure;

§ 14-190.9.  Indecent exposure.

(a)        Unless the conduct is punishable under subsection (a1) of this section, any person who shall willfully expose the private parts of his or her person in any public place and in the presence of any other person or persons, except for those places designated for a public purpose where the same sex exposure is incidental to a permitted activity, or aids or abets in any such act, or who procures another to perform such act; or any person, who as owner, manager, lessee, director, promoter or agent, or in any other capacity knowingly hires, leases or permits the land, building, or premises of which he is owner, lessee or tenant, or over which he has control, to be used for purposes of any such act, shall be guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor.

(a1)      Unless the conduct is prohibited by another law providing greater punishment, any person at least 18 years of age who shall willfully expose the private parts of his or her person in any public place in the presence of any other person less than 16 years of age for the purpose of arousing or gratifying sexual desire shall be guilty of a Class H felony. An offense committed under this subsection shall not be considered to be a lesser included offense under G.S. 14-202.1.

(b)        Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a woman may breast feed in any public or private location where she is otherwise authorized to be, irrespective of whether the nipple of the mother's breast is uncovered during or incidental to the breast feeding.

(c)        Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a local government may regulate the location and operation of sexually oriented businesses. Such local regulation may restrict or prohibit nude, seminude, or topless dancing to the extent consistent with the constitutional protection afforded free speech. (1971, c. 591, s. 1; 1993, c. 301, s. 1; c. 539, s. 124; 1994, Ex. Sess., c. 24, s. 14(c); 1998-46, s. 3; 2005-226, s. 1.)

The problem seems to be in the wording of sections (a) and (a1) which state the offense must be in a “public place.” The police and the District Attorney have stated that the man is on private property and so they are powerless. I have called the District Attorney’s office and have been told that they are not permitted; nor required; to entertain questions from the Public. They prosecute criminal offenders, supposedly in defense of society in general.

I now understand the difference between the Police and the District Attorney. The Police are there to protect your rights and help you out against the criminals; the District Attorney’s Office is engaged in both prosecuting; and defending; the rights of the criminals. In essence, they walk a fine line; working both sides of the aisle.  I don’t like it; but I now understand it.

My question is a simple one. If, for instance; the police can enter the premises of a home for probable cause based on something in plain sight; like a marijuana plant, or other overt circumstances; why then are they barred from arresting the naked flasher who operates from across an invisible property line, which places his actions in “Plain View” and thus creates the “probable cause” which would allow the police to intervene?

The answer is also simple; when you do something publicly, whether on public or private property, you relinquish; by your own actions; any reasonable expectation of privacy. If I can understand this principle, then why can't the District Attorneys Office? 

I’m no rocket scientist, but this seems to me to be a carelessly written law; not fully thought out as to the various ways in which it could be violated. The District Attorney is taking the stance that they are powerless to do anything about it until the law is rewritten. Clearly, that is not the case. Had this narrow type of thinking been prevalent back in the days of Prohibition, then Al Capone would never have been imprisoned for tax evasion.

The only thing which is keeping the people of that neighborhood in Charlotte from feeling safe is the lack of imagination in the Charlotte Mecklenburg District Attorney’s office.

Feel free to contact them at 704-686-0700. 

Or, by mail at 700 East Trade Street; 

                     Charlotte, NC 28202

Tell them Rob from Rooftop sent ya’. It will make their day.

"Getting Life" by Michael Morton (2014)

In August of 1986 Michael Morton’s wife, Chris, was murdered in their home. He had turned 32 the day before. Shortly afterwards he was tried and convicted of killing her as his son slept in the next room. It would take 25 years and a few very dedicated volunteers to prove his innocence; culminating in his release from prison in 2011 just one day after his 57^th birthday on October 3rd. It took 25 years for justice to be done.

This is a book which will set you back in the way you may think about the issues of prisoner’s legal rights to continued appeals; long after conviction. When I began to read this book I felt that most people behind bars are there for a reason. And I still feel that way. But I also felt that most prisoner appeals were just attempts to gain freedom based on legal technicalities. Boy was I ever wrong!

Mr. Morton’s journey will take you on a ride through a complicated and often broken legal system. It’s a system where small minded local Prosecutors and District Attorneys; always vying for re-election; can be led down the path of injustice by local law enforcement to convict the wrong person; sometimes by design, other times by incompetence. In Mr. Morton’s case it seems to have been a willingness on the part of the Prosecutor to allow the Sheriff to suppress and deny the facts of the investigation to the Defense; a clear violation of the Brady Rule. But it would take 25 years to unearth the documents and prove the point.

The author writes plainly and achingly about his ordeal. First as a grieving husband and father; next as a wrongly accused man fighting to keep the remnants of his torn family together as he battles a system seemingly intent on destroying him. And lastly he describes his time behind the walls of Huntsville prison in Texas, introducing the reader to the way of life inside. The rituals, the social mores, the unwritten rules of prison life are a fascinating subject. Much like life aboard a Navy ship, prison is a place where privacy is the most valued commodity; and the inmates have their own unique ways of gaining it.

The most important challenge which Mr. Morton faced was the ability to keep some sort of hope alive at the same time he was forced to accept his current situation. How do you live in perpetual expectation that your nightmare will someday end when reality clearly points to the opposite conclusion? Through books and continuing education he was able to navigate a system which no one ever expects to have to deal with.

At the same time as he is working on his appeals and requests for DNA testing; which should be the norm rather than the exception in all cases; he is also faced with the loss of his son. Eric was 3 years old at the time of the crime and had been living with his maternal grandparents ever since his father’s incarceration. His wife’s family was asked; and agreed; to withhold certain facts which could have had a profound impact on the original trial. Evidence was suppressed; witness statements unshared with the Defense; and crucial leads and clues ignored.

When the court awarded custody of the child to the maternal grandparents, they began a steady barrage of telling the boy that his father had killed his mother. By the time the boy turned 15 he chose to forgo the twice yearly supervised visits. He was not discouraged by the grandparents. Even after Mr. Morton is set free it would take another journey to set things right between himself and his son.

The point of this book is that there are thousands of cases like this, where the evidence exists to exonerate the wrongfully convicted, but the money to prove it is scarce. Thankfully there are volunteers and organizations, such as the Innocence Project, to help free some of the most egregious cases. And luckily for Mr. Morton they chose his case to investigate.

A compelling read; I recommend this book to anyone with any doubts about the issue of the wrongfully convicted. There are more of these cases than we care to admit, and more work to be done than resources to accomplish it. You will ache at the injustice within these pages, and then revel in the author’s vindication after so long a fight.

For more about the Innocence Project go to their website at;

http://www.innocenceproject.org/

"Longmire" with Robert Taylor (2012)

I ran across this series in the library. I've never heard of it before; and it’s surprisingly well written and acted. A newly widowed Sheriff, Walt Longmire; played by Robert Taylor; along with his new deputy, Vic Moretti, a woman from Chicago;  played by Katee Sackhoff;  are confronted by every sort of crime imaginable in Absaroka County, Wyoming. And, surprisingly, there is a lot of crime.

Saddled with a deputy Sheriff named Branch, who aspires to replace him, the Sheriff has to navigate not only the crime scenes, but also the ambitions of his colleague. His drinking is not helpful. And his daughter is very pre-occupied with getting her dad back on the dating scene, while the sheriff still keeps his wife's ashes on the mantelpiece. All of this does not help with his drinking.

Aided by an Indian friend, Henry; played by Lou Diamond Phillips; who owns the Red Pony, a local restaurant; he also has to straddle the two worlds which comprise parts of Absaroka County. That is, he must deal not only with crime in the white world, but must also find ways to elicit the cooperation of the Police on the Indian Reservation. To that end, his friendship with the Lou Diamond Phillips character is essential.

From murder and drug cartels, to everything else imaginable in a big city, County Sheriff Longmire must solve these crimes without the help of big crime labs and forensics. He has to use his skills as a human being; along with some common sense; in order to keep the peace in his corner of Wyoming.

Beautifully filmed, credibly acted and well written, the series is a real sleeper. 

"Echoes of My Soul" by Robert K. Tanenbaum (2013)

This case is one of the very first crimes committed when I was about 9 years old of which I was fully aware. The case involves 2 of 3 young female roommates living on the Upper East Side of Manhattan in the summer of 1963. One of the young women was lucky that day; she left before the killer arrived. The other two; whom the press dubbed “career girls”; were brutally murdered by a 24 year old drug addict, and the press promptly dubbed the case as “The Career Girl Murders.” It was still the age of Doris Day and Rock Hudson movies, and the case of three young women living in the big city, working, and then being murdered was sure to grab headlines.

Through a series of mistakes and deliberate coercion, the police question, and then charge a young black man named George Whitmore; who has an IQ “south” of 70; with the crime. Then, over a period of 18 hours they manage to gain a confession from him by “feeding” him bits of information about the crime which only the killer can possibly know. After that, having worn him down like the nub of a pencil, they draft a “confession”, which he readily signs, if only to end the horror of the ordeal.

Meantime, in Brooklyn, two women have been sexually assaulted; and the police in Brooklyn mistakenly decide that Whitmore is their man. When the Manhattan police learn of him and a photograph is found in his possession which resembles one of the murdered women, he is also charged with that crime by detectives in Manhattan who are desperate to close the ‘career Girl Murders.” The photograph, of a white girl sitting on the back of a convertible, was inscribed on the back “To George from Louise.” He claimed to have found it in a garbage dump in Wildwood, New Jersey and then inscribed it to himself as a way of showing off to his friends. This photo becomes one of the most crucial pieces of evidence used to try him for the double homicide, officially known as the “Wylie- Hoffert Murders.”

Only the entry into the case by a diligent Assistant District Attorney in Manhattan; Mel Glass; who does not think the facts add up to the conclusions being made by the detectives involved, begins to turn the case around. When a young man named Delaney is charged with killing a man in self-defense over a drug deal claims to know who the real killer is; Mr. Glass seems to have been the only one willing to listen. Acting with the full authority of legendary District Attorney Frank Hogan, he begins a one man quest to bring the real killer to justice in the Manhattan double homicide, as well as the crimes committed in Brooklyn.

In the final trial setting of the real killer, the Prosecutor finds himself in an awkward position. To prove Whitmore’s innocence the Prosecution is called upon to destroy the integrity of the very Police Force upon which it normally relies for evidence.. And then to convict the real killer, they must do it again.

Relying on the “bugs” planted in the apartment of the young heroin addicted Delaney couple from whom the real killer “scores”, the prosecution is able to prove both the innocence of Whitmore, and the guilt of  Richard Robles, who was a small time burglar who liked to enter apartments when someone was at home. In the Wylie-Hoffert crime, things had escalated way past what even Robles thought he was capable of.

Written in a gripping style by Mr. Tannenbaum; who is also the author of over 20 mysteries, as well as being a top notch prosecutor himself; this book reads like a crime novel, the only difference being that the horror of the crime is real. And to someone, like myself, who recalls the case, the book rings as true as a bell.

"Law and Disorder" by John Douglas (2013)

Brace yourselves for a gripping and thought provoking read in this book by veteran FBI Agent/ Profiler John Douglas; who, along with writing partner Mark Olshaker; will change your mind about capital punishment, and then, change it back again. By explaining the art of forensic science and profiling, the authors have created a work which accurately portrays the reality which the TV shows we have all come to know and love so well are really based upon. And the truth is far from the simplified version of what is presented there and even from that which is portrayed in the media. Mr. Douglas does a very good job in explaining how it works in real life, while using some of his; and the nation’s; most infamous cases to prove his points.

Starting with the Salem Witch Trials of the 17th Century, the book also delves into the evolution of crime; including arson, murders, and serial killers, on into the late 20th Century. In that time frame he explores what makes the killer think; or the rapist rape? What turns a petty house thief into a killer? Is it power? Greed? And ultimately, what do we, as a society, do about it?

Beginning with one of his earliest cases; in which he still harbors doubts about the suspect’s execution, and the role he may have played in it; Mr. Douglas questions not only the perfection of the system; but also the failure of some of today’s most expert, and advanced, methods of crime detection. And that includes the much touted DNA; which when taken out of context to the crime, and without regard to other mitigating factors which may alter the evidence offered by the Prosecution; is not always the solution we have been led to believe it is.

Also explored is the way that “justice” is handled once a verdict and sentence has been rendered. It is, under the present system, possible, to have new and exculpating evidence not admitted at the last minute in order to “stay” an execution. With most of the condemned men waiting for years to exhaust their appeals anyway, what do a few more months matter in the pursuit of Justice? Why the rush to execute?

The supposed Multiple Personality Disorder; in which the criminal did the crime, but not as his himself; is given deep thought and the authors come to a very definite conclusion. MPD is a crock. If the accused has a history of the disease, that is one thing. But when they suddenly develop the ailment on their third appeal, how much credence should it be given? Is it right; or moral; for a killer to languish in jail for more years than their victims lived? That was the case with Marine Private Suzanne Collins, whose killer took 21 years to be executed for taking the life of a 19 year old woman. How absurd is that?

With experience in the Jon Benet Ramsey case, as well as some very other high profile cases, the book is gripping in both its scope and depth. The cases all range from murder, arson and kidnapping. And, surprisingly, against all scientific evidence, many have been innocent.

The case of the so-called West Memphis 3; accused of killing three 8 year old youngsters as part of a Satanic Cult; when no such cult even existed; would be a fascinating book all on its own account. Only the interest of a woman outside of prison would serve to break that case open again; this time with justice ruling the day. Too bad it took over 15 years for that justice to be served.

Though he has seen it all in the way of injustice; even seeing innocent men being “murdered” by the state when new evidence has been available; Mr. Douglas is still in favor of the death penalty as a deterrent for the most heinous of crimes. But, only after all reasonable avenues have been explored. This was a surprise and came about just when he had me convinced that I was wrong in my support of Capital Punishment in the first place.

Straddling the wire between his own beliefs, and the needs of justice for the accused; as well as the victims and their families; cannot be easy. But Mr. Douglas need lose no sleep over the issue. He has presented his case; and cases; in a forthright and logical manner, causing the reader to do the most important thing of all; think. No matter what you believe about the issue of Capital Punishment, this book will strike a chord with every reader.

"Fly My Kite" with Hal Roach and His Rascals (1931)

This is probably the first “Little Rascals”/”Our Gang” episode which I remember watching. It’s interesting to note that the name on the credits is “Hal Roach and His Rascals.” They went through two more changes in name as the years passed, finally becoming known mainly as “The Little Rascals.”

In this 1931 episode, “Grandma”, who is really just an old lady in the neighborhood, is having her usual day of fun with the neighborhood kids. She reads to them, feeds them and even boxes with them. The children are all from poor families and presumably the parents are all out working during the day, leaving the children at “loose ends.” She is the anchor which holds their little world in place.

Grandma’s son-in-law, a mean fellow named Dan, has promised to let Grandma stay in her home until she passes away. He had previously broken Grandma’s daughter’s heart with his philandering ways, which she blames for causing her daughter’s early death. With no money of her own to live on, she is forced to accept the promise that Dan will always take care of her.

But when Dan and his new girlfriend arrive at the home unexpectedly, they find Grandma roughhousing with the neighborhood kids. The girlfriend tells Dan that unless Mom moves out, she won’t move in. Grandma, hearing the arrival of the cab with Dan and his girlfriend in it, tells the kids to hide.

When Dan tells Grandma that he is kicking her out and sending her to the poorhouse, all seems lost. As Dan leaves the home he checks the mail, finding a letter informing Grandma that she is in possession of some gold bonds which will make her secure for the rest of her life. Dan takes the letter to an attorney who informs him that the bonds are transferrable and worth about $100,000; more than Grandma can ever hope to use in the few years remaining to her. He quickly returns to her home in an attempt to retrieve the bonds. Meantime, Grandma, while packing her belongings, has given the worthless bonds to “Chubby” for a tail on his kite.

Dan rushes home from the lawyer, and once there, he crushes Grandma’s glasses and reads the letter to her, informing her that the bonds she once held are worthless. But he’s in for quite a surprise when she informs him that the bonds have “gone up”. When he realizes that she has given the bonds to “Chubby”, he rushes outdoors to retrieve the kite, and the bonds. Meantime, Grandma, while packing her belongings, has seen the letter through the “lens” created by the fishbowl where the letter has been laying and dispatches the children to help “Chubby” retain the now valuable kite.

These films were the basis for many of life’s lessons in morality, honesty and hard work. In spite of the stereotyping of everyone in these films; the helpless old Grandma; the fat kid “Chubby”; the racist portrayal of Stymie and Buckwheat; and even the villainous son-in-law, complete with an evil looking moustache; were a staple each morning before I went to school. And, sometimes I think I learned more about life from these old films than I ever did in in class.

"Killing the Poormaster" by Holly Metz (2012)

They say to never choose a book by its cover – but with a cover like this – how could you not? Looking at the photo doesn’t evoke anything other than sympathy for the guy in handcuffs. Without any foreknowledge of who he is; and what he may have done; this photo is a stark depiction of everyone’s worst fear; that of being shackled and in the “custody” of the state. Of course, the man in the photo may be a monster; accused of some unspeakable crime; which changes the perception of the photo, leaving the viewer with a sense of safety, and comfort. But, not this one.

Joe Scutellaro is the man in custody of the Hoboken Police in the photo above, taken after his arraignment in February 1938 for the murder of the city’s “Poormaster”, and perhaps that title itself is a good place to begin this review. Whoever thought of that title for the position of dealing with the underprivileged, clearly had no sense of the shame felt by ordinary people, who, through economic circumstance, were forced to turn to their government for help. In fact, the term probably kept many from ever setting foot in the doorway of the “Poormaster’s” office to begin with.

In 1938 the nation was still reeling from the effects of the Great Depression. It had been almost 9 years since the “crash” which became known as Black Tuesday, when rich men hurled themselves from the windows of their offices on Wall Street as they saw their life’s fortunes disappear in an instant. (Actually there were only one or two of those, but it was a dramatic flourish which I couldn’t resist.) On the other end of the scale were men like Joe Scutellaro, the hard working son of an Italian immigrant in Hoboken, New Jersey. The author briefly gives a history of the city and how it became the corrupt and raw place it was at the time of the murder.

From its beginnings, when it was dominated by Germans, through to the power shift that came with the influx of the Irish in the mid-19^th century, Ms. Metz paints a very vivid picture of what life was like for the working-poor. Some were skilled workers and flourished; while others worked at whatever they could; essentially living off the scraps of the more fortunate. When the Depression came along, the poor were hit the hardest, as the state abolished its direct relief programs in 1936, which placed the burden for this function upon the already cash starved local cities and towns throughout the state. In places where corruption had already flourished before the Great Depression, any relief money was quickly gobbled up by local political machines and their cronies.

One of these men was Harry Barck, a man so cruel and entrenched in the “machine” of Hoboken politics, that he actually asked Joe Scutellaro if his wife was not above “swinging her purse down on Washington Street” the week before his murder. That remark alone, delivered when Mr. Scutellaro came to Barck’s office to apply, again; for aid which amounted to about $5.70 for a family of 4 for 2 weeks; would have been enough to send any man into a rage. Yet, Mr. Scutellaro was so beaten down by the system at this point, that he did nothing.

After another week had passed by, Joe again appeared at the office to inquire of Mr. Barck about his relief check. After waiting for several hours he was again insulted and told to go “check the mail”, a common tactic of the “Poormaster” when dealing with his “clients.” At that moment, all of the rage pent up in Joe Scutellaro burst forth, and he struck the Poormaster, sending him reeling. When he momentarily recovered enough to stagger towards the door, Joe saw something sticking from his chest, which he removed and tossed to the floor. It was one of those metal spikes which people used to use as a way of temporarily filing papers on their desktops. Apparently, Mr. Barck had fallen against it when Joe struck him. Barck died of his wound, and Joe was charged with murder.

The chief witness was Eleonore Hartmann, who changed her story several times in order to cover up what she hadn’t seen, even after giving a statement to the police on the day of the murder. In that statement she claimed to have seen Joe commit the crime. Apparently she didn’t really see the crime itself; only the aftermath and her conclusion form what she did see; which served as her statement.

Joe’s counsel was the celebrated criminal defense attorney Samuel Leibowitz, of the famous “Scottsboro Boys” trial. In that case, 9 young African-Americans stood accused of raping 2 white women, facing the death penalty. Leibowitz; as in all his trials; won their acquittal. Could he do the same for Joe Scutellaro?

With a keen eye to history, as well as an aptitude which enables the reader to contrast the issues of the Great Depression with the same social ills of today, the author has created a portrait of an era long gone, but looming ever closer to a return as the struggle between the very wealthy and the working poor continues, unabated. This is a very compelling, and informative book.

    ________________________________________________________

 Patti Page - "The Tennessee Waltz"

 

This is one of the first records I ever heard. Along with “How Much Is that Doggie in the Window”, and “Doctor, Lawyer, Indian Chief” by Betty Hutton, and many other 78 RPM recordings which colored my early years. This one really got to me at the age of about 4 years old. I remember putting the record on and watching it going round and round, marveling at the voice. In this version from TV, Ms. Page is singing on her own.

 

The recorded version was double tracked, which was a signature of Ms. Page’s works. The double tracking stemmed from her not having enough money to hire additional backup singers; and although overdubbing had been done before by other artists, Ms. Page brought the practice to the forefront; influencing the sounds of the 1950’s; as well as the 1960’s.

Ms. Page passed away yesterday, on New Years Day;  leaving us a legacy of wonderful music; for which she received, in turn, the love of a 4 year old boy who was captivated by her many years ago. RIP Patti...

 

"Into the Abyss" with Charles Richardson and Jason Burkett (2011)

This is a film I was prepared to dislike. I only happened upon it when I saw it laying in the living room. Sue had taken it out of the library after I had passed it up. I am not against the death penalty, and this film by Werner Herzog seemed to; at least by the synopsis on the film’s case; be pandering to a more liberal audience in this regard. It was only by chance that I happened to have a few hours free the other evening to watch this film.  And though my mind concerning the death penalty has remained unchanged by the film, in the hands of a master director such as Werner Herzog, the film did make me think about the need for the ultimate penalty, as well as what drives people to commit horrendous crimes in the first place.

 

The main focus of the film is on the death of 3 people, Jeremy Richardson and his mother, and a friend, in Conroe, Texas and told through the eyes of both the defendant himself, as well as the victim’s family. The opening scene, or Prologue, is conducted as an interview with the Minister who is in charge of the death house and is the last individual, aside from the guards, with whom the inmate will have contact. He is very moving when he speaks of how he always asks permission to accompany the condemned man until his final moment on the gurney, and actually lays a hand on the foot of the prisoner so that he does not feel abandoned at the moment of death. I found this to be very impressive. But when he goes on to describing his almost having run over a squirrel in a golf cart one day, and then compares that circumstance to people who have gone astray, he kind of loses me. I can’t seem to make that massive leap from accidently killing a squirrel to actually carrying out a murder. But then I have to stop and think; isn’t that what the state does when it applies the death penalty? Aren’t they, themselves, planning a murder?

I had to dispel that assertion by noting the difference between killing and murdering. Killing is something which is borne of necessity; in order to eat, or protect your own life would be the two immediate analogies which spring to mind. Murder, on the other hand, is most often done for greed, or lust, both emotions which can be controlled. So, then doesn’t that make this a mental health issue rather than a criminal one? Should people with obvious mental problems be put to death? Is the ability to kill someone really a mental defect at all, or just a matter of the utmost selfishness? And if that is true, does the state sponsored killing hold any more merit than the crime of murder itself?

 

The film tackles all of these questions by looking at the case of Michael Perry and Jason Burkett, 2 young men who connived their way into a gated community and then continued to murder 3 people as they robbed the home of the Richardson family. Drawing on interviews with law enforcement officers who were involved in the case, as well as family members from both sides; the accused as well as the victim’s; allows the viewer to analyze the facts as they apply to the questions posed above.

 

There is much more to this film than I have tackled here. This is a hot button topic which touches on the social disorders which make the death penalty an option, as well as exploring the sometimes arbitrary nature of its application.

Although this film may not shake, or even rattle your belief for, or against the death penalty, it is worth watching, if only because it makes you think. And, in the midst of an election year filled with knee jerk reactionaries; and a few real jerks to boot; thinking is in high demand.