Hi Everyone,
I attended a 11:15 am showing at the IFC Center. I came to NYC today with the special objective of seeing this movie and I wanted to write the corresponding blog quickly so I can return home on time. My initial response from the movie was sadness about the way the story played out
Having been familiar with the story, I made sure to go to the theater with an open mind because I wanted more details and analysis. I wasn’t let down in this department. The film was simple to understand. The crimes and racial problems of that era served as a backdrop in the film and I thought this was a masterstroke by the film creators because it allowed me to use it as a reference point. I think about that era and the crimes that were being committed across the city. I also think about the social and criminal problems that existed. Ken Burns captured this atmosphere perfectly.
I wanted to really focus on the facts of the case and then I wanted to make my own judgement. The film makes it very clear using facts and evidence that the 2002 overturning of the convictions was justified. As the film progressed, I began to focus on the mistakes that were made across the board. Some examples of these systematic mistakes:
- Serious NYPD errors that were facilitated by a rush to judgement without adequate investigation and evidence
- No DNA evidence or any other physical evidence
- The Five were wrongfully “grabbed” by cops in Central Park after a night of running around the park with a larger group of kids “wilding”
- Systematic and institutional racism existed within the NYPD and the media during the late 1980s and this contributed to the quick public downfall and conviction of the Five
My conclusion is that this was a societal failure. Many factors contributed original guilty verdict handed down for the five young men accused of committing this heinous crime. It was clear that the NYPD was under serious pressure as a consequence of the times and this was a story that the media could jump on easily and take it as far as they did. The fact that important institutions and the public were so quick to have a judgement on the matter was a sign of the negative environment gripping the city. This environment caused the thoughts and actions of many people were shaped by prejudices that already existed.
I like your writing. Very good analysis and reasonable judgement.
I agree with the existed prejudices that you mentioned. I think that’s the reason the documentary made for. It takes so much effort to set up a good valued system in society and have citizens have the right, legal, moral mindsets.
I agree, it was a societal failure. Its easy to point the finger at just the police or D.A’s office. But we can pressure politicians into acting. We could have demanded more!