15 Devastating Documentaries That Mustn't Be Ignored
9. Murder On A Sunday Morning (Jean-Xavier de Lestrade, 2001)
An elderly white woman is robbed and subsequently murdered on an early Sunday morning, and hours later, 15 year old African-American, Brenton Butler, is walking past the crime scene and is pointed out by a witness as the perpetrator. What ensues is a vicious case built by the prosecution against this young man, using the thinnest of circumstantial evidence. The film follows the defence team as they fight the prejudice of the state and attempt to protect their client from a horrendous sentence. What we have is not just a courtroom drama and murder trial, but a demonstration of the flaws and corruption within the American justice system. Thanks to the access allowed by the family, the viewer is able to follow Brenton closely through his trial alongside his emotional parents, pained by their son's situation, adamant and loyal to his cause. Candid, honest and at times downright enraging, Murder on a Sunday Morning is a vital film that represents justice and the old fashioned battle of the little man versus the politics of a damaged system.
KJ Lewis is 35 years old, was able to rear three small children into three slightly bigger children and has a relatively untested and unfounded passion for writing.
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