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Pat McGuinness, Brenton Butler, Chester D.T. Baldwin, Mary Ann Stephens, Patrick McGuiness

The genesis of this Oscar-winning documentary feature was one of the more appalling miscarriages of justice in recent American history. In May of 2000, Mary Ann Stephens, a 65-year-old tourist from Ge... read more read more...orgia, was shot and killed by a black assailant in Jacksonville, FL. Anxious not to damage their tourist trade, the Jacksonville police rushed out and picked up the first black "suspect" who happened to be available: 15-year-old Brendon Butler, who at the time of his arrest, was en route to a job interview. The grieving husband of of the murder victim, who had glimpsed the killer from a distance, was virtually coerced by the arresting officers into identifying Butler as the guilty party -- and later, thanks to the strong-arm tactics of his interrogators, and without benefit of counsel, the boy confessed to a crime which he did not commit. Brash, chain-smoking public defender Pat McGuinness, sensing that the prosecution's case stank to high heaven, proceeded to mount a courtroom defense for Butler which may well survive the decades as a textbook case of brilliant jurisprudence -- while the trial itself will undoubtedly forever serve as a cautionary example of the perils and pitfalls and prejudice of "swift justice." Assembled by French documentary filmmaker Jean-Xavier de Lestrade, this 111-minute feature was originally released under the title Un coupable ideal. As Murder on a Sunday Morning, the film was afforded a Los Angeles theatrical showing in September of 2001 to qualify for the Academy Awards; most Americans, however, saw the film when it aired on the HBO cable network on April 2, 2002. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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89% liked it

1,013 ratings

Unrated, 1 hr. 51 min.

Directed by: Jean-Xavier de Lestrade

Release Date: January 1, 2001

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DVD Release Date: April 29, 2003

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Flixster Reviews (87)

  • imrealgod
    May 2, 2011
    imrealgod
    The title itself sounds so damn alluring. Add to it that it's an Oscar winning documentary depicting the trial of a 15 year old guy wrongly accused of murdering an old woman. His acquittal was an uphill task since the only witness (old woman's wise husband) in the case had positi... read morevely identified him as the murderer.

    I'd almost forgotten about this movie until some days back. After that, I was way too desperate to check it out. Unfortunately, it wasn't anywhere nearly as interesting as I'd expected. No, I wasn't looking forward for a Sherlock Holmes or a Perry Mason kind of story, but something gotta give. This was......... some things are better left unsaid.
  • nuheart
    July 7, 2007
    nuheart
    Excellent documentary detailing the flaws of "the best legal system in the world".
  • KLFilmmaker
    January 21, 2009
    KLFilmmaker
    Intriguing doc on the murder case of 15 yr old Brenton Butler, accused of murdering a tourist in Florida. A must see for fans of legal procedures.
  • jackamaku
    January 12, 2009
    jackamaku
    A very good doc about a boy who originally is brought in by police because he may be able to provide info on a random killing, and is subsequently identified by an eyewitness, a 70 year old man. The police are convinced and don't let shoddy detective work or lack of evidence get... read more in their way of prosecuting him in a high profile case. This film is all about the defense lawyer. As the film goes on you see that not is this guy badass, but he takes it personally that this kid has been wrongfully accused. From the same director as the fascinating "The Staircase" documentary miniseries.
  • CinemaslaveJoe
    July 28, 2007
    CinemaslaveJoe
    Excellent documentary about Brenton Butler, a young black man who was erroneously arrested and tried for a murder he didn't commit, simply because he was, well, a young black man. Butler's ingenious attorney not only saved his client from the electric chair, but *ended up solvin... read moreg the case*, something which the police didn't try to do; they believed they had the right guy and didn't feel like chasing down any more leads. Fascinating, and horrifying, stuff. Reminds me of Joe Berlinger's "Paradise Lost," which explores similar themes.

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Critic Reviews

Brian Gibson
December 1, 2003
Brian Gibson, Vue Weekly (Edmonton, Canada)

This French documentary ranks with the best I have seen. . . . The strength of the film is its patient, chronological build-up.

Christopher Null
April 5, 2003
Christopher Null, Filmcritic.com

a fascinating story held in a merely so-so package. Full Review

Ken Eisner
April 4, 2011
Ken Eisner, Variety

Click to read the article Full Review

Carla Meyer
September 11, 2003
Carla Meyer, San Francisco Chronicle

Click to read the article Full Review

Emanuel Levy
August 12, 2005
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com

No review available.

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