Thesis on "Criminology Brother's Keeper Review"
Thesis 3 pages (1145 words) Sources: 3 Style: APA
[EXCERPT] . . . .
CriminologyBrother's Keeper
Review of Brother's Keeper
The film Brother's Keeper (1992) was released in 1992 and subsequently received numerous awards, including the Directors Guild of America, USA's award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Documentary in 1993, as well as an Audience Award in 1992 from the Sundance Film Festival. It is a documentary film that deals with the murder trial of Delbert Ward accused of murdering his brother and the events that surround this incident. The film was directed by Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky. The production companies were American Playhouse and Hand to Mouth Productions. It has been described "…part rural gothic tale and part murder mystery" (Reviews: Brother's Keeper).
The plot and content of the film revolves around the death of Bill Ward. The drama and tension in the film explores the controversy that surrounds the implication of Delbert Ward in the alleged murder of his brother.
An essential aspect of the documentary from both a cinematographic and criminological point-of-view is that the brothers in the film were semi-literate and socially inept. They lived in relative isolation on a farm near the upstate New York village of Munnsville. They had very little to do with society and the townsfolk of Munnsville until the death of Bill draws attention to them. In fact it is one of the central dramatic elements of the film is that they are shunned by the community of the town until the incident, after which the community strongly supported Delbert against what was perceived as a wrongful accusation of murder brought about by the coercion of a man who
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In summary, the main facts that the film deals with are as follows. The accused, 59-year-old Delbert Ward lived with his brothers Bill, Roscoe, and Lyman. They were mentally and socially "backward' and almost completely illiterate, which made them outcasts in the community. The older brother, Bill, died on June 5, 1990. While he had been ill, the police investigation nevertheless found that his death was not from natural causes. Delbert is accused of the murder of his brother, possibly as a form of mercy killing by smothering him with a pillow -- taking into account the fact that Bill had apparently been very ill. Delbert is subsequently charged with second degree murder.
One of the fascinating aspects of the film is the central theme. This refers to the doubt about whether Delbert was wrongfully accused of murder. This is problematized by the insinuation in the film of a very real possibility that he was accused of murder without any real substantial evidence to support the claim. The only real evidence against him is his signed confession. The case against him also took into account the statement by one of his brothers - Lyman- that they had talked about killing Bill prior to the murder.
The case therefore hinges on Delbert's confession. However the townsfolk and others are of the opinion that the confession was obtained under duress. As Dilbert was illiterate and had a very low IQ, it is very possible that he was coerced into signing the confessions. In fact this is the view that is strongly suggested throughout the film in interviews with townsfolk and lawyers.
This view is played off against the opposing view that Delbert is in fact a murderer. This is also added to by suppositions that the two brothers had a homosexual relationship… READ MORE
Quoted Instructions for "Criminology Brother's Keeper Review" Assignment:
“Locate one of the following documentary films for review and answer the following questions:
Brother*****s Keeper (1992; or, 10th anniversary version, 2002)
An Act of Conscience (1997)
Incident at Ogallala: The Leonard Peltier Story (1992)
The Thin Blue Line (1988)
Murder on a Sunday Morning (2001)
You are to view the film in its entirety. As you are watching the film, you should take notes on the following information:
Title of film, including director, year of release, and studio that released it.
A brief description of the main characters in the film. For example, if it profiles a person charged with a crime, name him/her and what s/he allegedly did; are there main CJ professionals (e.g., district attorney, defense attorney) who are central to the story?
A brief description of the events that allegedly took place. If it is unclear what happened, describe the conflicting scenarios.
In each of these films, there are ambiguities about what happened (e.g., did a crime occur?), who did it (e.g., did the right person get charged?), and the processing of the case (e.g., what mistakes were made or thought to be made?). You are to analyze the film from the point of view of a criminologist, not as a movie critic (e.g., the film is *****good***** or *****bad*****). Your review should not focus on statements such as *****I really like the film.***** This might be said differently as, *****This film clearly illustrates the problems that arise when there are political pressures to quickly arrest and convict a defendant.***** This is a review for a course, not for the newspaper.
Your review should specify issues that the film identifies about the events, the defendants (or others), and the processing of the case. Be specific, and use correct names and information.
How to Reference "Criminology Brother's Keeper Review" Thesis in a Bibliography
“Criminology Brother's Keeper Review.” A1-TermPaper.com, 2009, https://www.a1-termpaper.com/topics/essay/criminology-brother-keeper-review/908687. Accessed 28 Sep 2024.
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