Documentaries

EYEWITNESS

1) Murder on a Sunday Morning

• A 15 year old boy is wrongfully accused of murder, starting with an eyewitness ID. A documentary team follows the trial.

• http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0307197/

INTERROGATIONS & CONFESSIONS

1) Scenes of a Crime

• A man is coerced into confessing to killing his infant son

• http://scenesofacrime.com/

2) The Central Park Five

• • Documenting the case of the Central Park Five; 5 juveniles falsely confess to the rape of a young woman

  • https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BYEVUWI

3) West of Memphis

• Documenting the case of the West Memphis Three; 3 juveniles falsely confess to the murder of three young boys

• http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2130321/

FORENSIC SCIENCE EVALUATION

1) Incendiary

• Did the state of Texas execute an innocent man based on dubious forensic science?

• http://incendiarymovie.com/INCENDIARY.html

2) The Syndrome

• Is Shaken Baby Syndrome Actually based on science (spoiler alert: NO!)

  • https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3183936/

TRAUMA “MEMORIES”

1) Witch Hunt

• Story of families who’s lives were ripped apart by false allegations of child molestation

• http://www.witchhuntmovie.com/

GOVERNMENT MISCONDUCT

1) An Unreal Dream

• Only one prosecutor has ever been punished for their role in a wrongful conviction...see the story

• https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B011P27IT2/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r

JURIES & TRIALS

1) Hot Coffee

• A examination of the civil justice system

• http://www.hotcoffeethemovie.com/

SENTENCING & PRISON REFORM

1) Herman’s House

• A man spends 40 years in solitary confinement.

• http://hermanshousethefilm.com/

2) The Dhamma Brothers

• Two men teach Buddhist meditation in one of Alabama’s worst prisons.

• http://www.dhammabrothers.com/

3) Crime after Crime

• · A victim of domestic violence is sentenced to life in prison for the role in her partner’s death. Twenty years later lawyers work to re-open her case to obtain her release.

• · http://crimeaftercrime.com/

DEATH PENALTY

1) Into the Abyss

• Conversations with a death row inmate and those affected by his crime

  • http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1972663/

2) Race to Execution

• • Tells the stories of two Black men sentenced to death + good overview of racial bias research

  • https://itvs.org/films/race-to-execution (best to try to find via school library)

LIFE AFTER EXONERATION

1) After Innocence

• After exoneration, life isn’t easy. This film examines the long term consequences of wrongful conviction that continue post exoneration

• http://www.afterinnocence.net/

PUBLIC DEFENDERS

1) Gideon’s Army

• · Gideon v. Wainwright guarantees everyone the right to an attorney – this film follows examines the struggles of public defenders

• · http://gideonsarmythefilm.com/