Review of A Murder in the Park directed by Brandon Kimber and Shawn Rech
Rating *****
Everyone likes a story of a wrongfully convicted individual finally set free once the truth is revealed. I distinctly remember this story. A man just days away from execution is suddenly set free thanks to the work of a college professor and his journalism students efforts to free him. It was a sensational story. The governor soon after abolished the death penalty in Illinois lest an innocent man be put to death. If there is one thing I’ve learned over the years, it’s that you can’t trust everything you read or see in the media.
I can’t give a detailed review of this film without giving away some of the fantastic twists and turns this story takes. It’s best that you experience this film without any pre-knowledge . So let me just say that this film had me glued to the screen. It is a fascinating story unlike any that I have come across.
When it comes to wrongful convictions, there are a few common themes that always emerge: a rush to judgement, a false confession, questionable eyewitness testimony, tunnel vision by investigators, sloppy investigation work, poor or incompetent legal representation, etc. All of these themes play a role in this story, but not in the manner you might expect.
The documentary was released last year. I happened upon it purely by chance while browsing the on demand documentaries on Showtime. Watch this film! It is an engrossing story that will stay with you long after the credits roll.
[…] where a guilty person is set free, and in his place, an innocent person is sent to prison (See A Murder in the Park). But this is the first documentary I’ve seen with evidence of guilt pointing to an […]