10 Times Pop Culture Solved Real Life Crimes

9. Dear Zachary Uncovers Problems With The Canadian Legal System

As evidenced by the likes of the Paradise Lost trilogy, documentary films have a power like no other. Not only in providing a document of previously darkened corners of real life, but also in providing powerful polemics that eventually have an effect on the world they were originally simply observing. That was the case with Dear Zachary: A Letter To A Son About His Father.

It started off as a very different film indeed, with director Kurt Kuenne initially putting together the film as a personal project. His best friend was murdered, and soon after the ex-girlfriend convicted of the crime revealed she was pregnant with her victim's son. Kuenne intended for the film to be a a cinematic scrapbook of his friend, for the son who never knew him.

Then there was a twist in the tale. Shirley Jane Turner, the murderer in question managed to appeal her conviction, and got out of jail, managing to gain joint custody with her the deceased's parents. Soon after, she killed herself and the baby.

From there the film documented Kuenne's and his friend's parents campaigning against the government, resulting in Turner's psychologist being found guilty of misconduct and the head of the local child welfare agency resigning.