Crime documentary discussion thread

[traceymrsd]

Been watching murder trial on bbc iplayer. The dog walker one, what the actual hell?!

The guy who did the shooting & his wife were made for each other - both had serious attitude problems & were a right pair of miserable cunts

 

[Tula]

Recently discovered Naming The Dead on National Geographic, it’s fascinating. If you're interested in the fallout of people going missing combined with cold cases and genealogy I’d definitely give this a watch.

 

[Tula]

What's been the best true crime doc people have seen this year?
I'm essentially starting from scratch again and will give them a go.
There are so many it's hard to know where to start tbh.

Probably Unknown Number - The High School Catfish. Absolutely shocking but very well made.

 

[Be More Pacific]

Going to watch it this weekend with my OH. I mentioned it on the Real Life Crime & Murder thread but forgot to put it here

Big ask I know but can any giveaway comments about it please be put in spoilers for now as I'm not familiar with the case at all? Thank you

From the trailer, it looked very similar to the BBC's The Murder Trial. If you've never seen it, they're all on iPlayer - highly recommend. It's the kind of thing BBC do really well. I'm reserving judgement on C5's offering as I don't usually like their take on real life crime (too sensationalist)

 

[Tula]

I watched this earlier and can't stop thinking about it. Those poor kids. They had that community where their families knew each other, they all played with each other and grew up together and then just like that it ended. That happy life they all had and that poor family lost their mother. Over one stupid, nasty, vicious, racist woman. Surely she would have gone to see the place before she moved there? Why did she choose to stay so long. Another person with perhaps a child could have moved in there and been happy.
The fact she didn't care whatsoever and was more concerned about being cold or whatever during her interviews or being nonchalant or bringing it back to herself just made me so angry.
I saw on the other crime threads, someone posted an article that her sister (the one helping her move with the little boy) was done for child neglect as well. What wonderful woman they are!!

Agree with everything you’ve said. It’s been a few days and it’s still playing on my mind. The family’s go fund me has blown up and they’d raised almost half a million dollars last I checked which is incredible. It won’t bring AJ back of course but think it’s amazing how people have got behind the family.

 

[Scottish Care Bear]

I watched it. I'm aware there's always a point-of-view in a documentary, seems partly to do with which people they need access to. The families of the two boys obviously contributed with their interviews and lots of personal and social media. Also the police and prosecution. But even if there'd been much more from the girl's side, it's hard to see what could have been presented that would have made me think the verdict was wrong.

Spoiler

When they left her 'off camera' asides in from the jail interview, it wasn't 'on her side' e.g. but interesting to see

I thought the prosecution went a bit over the top using a teenager's tiktoks in court as a gotcha, but the evidence otherwise seemed solid. The girl's parents were astonishing to watch, especially the court plea for leniency.

Spoiler

She must have intended to kill herself too, though, because there's no way she could have guaranteed to survive that crash

I felt for the boys' families, they didn't get an explanation.

Personally I don’t think the prosecution did go over the top showing her tiktoks. Was showing how she behaved after what she did. Was showing her true character.

As for her parents. They must have blinkers on.

 

[Be More Pacific]

Just a heads up.

Murder Trial, the programme featuring Scottish real life trial footage plus interviews with the barristers, families and sometimes even the judge, is back next Wednesday - Death of a Dog Walker. It's a two parter - I can't see ahead but I'm assuming it will be on consecutive nights.

Also looks like the last two episodes of this series of Murder 24/7 aren't on next week (which is what I was looking for on my planner) due to athletics. I guess they'll be on the week after.

 

[Be More Pacific]

Faking it:Tears of a crime is one I enjoy despite Kerrie Nixon.

It's Kerry Daynes on Faking It. I watch with fascination to see i) how big her hair is and ii) how shiny and taut her face is this week.

I enjoy the show but it's very easy to say someone is lying when they've been convicted.

 

[mousey]

Who approved that hair do for Kenzie’s interview as well, she looked ridiculous.

 

[Tula]

Stopping by to recommend Accused: Did I Do It? On the Crime & Investigation channel. Think it’s a rebranding of Accused: Guilty or Innocent. Both are a good watch. The series follows alleged perpetrators and their lawyers in the lead up to criminal cases, including the verdict at the end. Some of the episodes have footage from the trials too.

 

[MissTeddy]

I watched episode 3 (with the twins) last night and I literally was sat open mouthed thinking WTAF !

 

[sporkinghell]

Thank you so much for recommending this. I binge watched 5 episodes last night on Now TV and I’ll be watching the rest today.
You’re right it’s excellent and the things the police have to deal with are truly shocking.

I also watched it today and it is the best documentary series I’ve seen in some time, very cleverly done. The first episode was brutal though

 

[Be More Pacific]

Real CSI last night, another tough watch but good outcome, truly shocking.

Yeah, I was shocked at the end.

Spoiler: Thoughts

I like to think I'm very cynical but the reality is that I always try see the good in people. I thought he'd got drunk, was walking home from the pub and had a moment of madness. But he'd actually made a special effort to get ready and go out looking for something. Then you find out the history.

He actually wasn't a bad looking fella - early thirties, living with his parents, didn't say if he worked but he was so fucking pitiful - he just came across as a bit of a loser who was down on his luck. But no, actually full blown paedophile.

It had overtones of the Anwar Rosser case to me - that's what was in my mind the whole time I was watching. This is a little known whole life order one and the sentencing remake are graphic so proceed with caution.

https://www.judiciary.uk/wp-content/uploads/JCO/Documents/Judgments/sentencing-remarks-coulson-j-r-v-rosser.pdf

I had a look online, as I wanted to try and find out how he'd got into the house (did he break in or was the door or a window left open?) and how he knew the other victims (I suspect maybe he was in a relationship with their mother(s) at some point) but I couldn't find anything. I'm assuming they came forward following his arrest.....? He was only just sentenced this month as well (charged January 2025)

I can't see him lasting in prison. I was expecting to see a message at the end that he'd died in custody (suicide) I still think that will be the case.

 

[traceymrsd]

Same! I had to rewind the crazy part as couldn’t compute it.

It was the language used in the messages that I couldnt comprehend

 

[Boogs]

I am currently sat watching the pastor's wife - what a complete psychopath that 'pastor' is.

I really hope he ends up in prison. He will just continue to abuse people. Poor Micah was just a kid when she met him. She never stood a chance.

 

[Be More Pacific]

I absolutely love this programme

If you haven't seen it already, I would really recommend Reasonable Doubt - five seasons of that. Lots of (mainly) very delusional families trying to get convictions overturned.

There were some successes though and people have since been released but not necessarily as a result of the show. I'm still following one case that's due for a retrial in September. Season 2, episode 1 - Convicted by a Hair if you're interested.

It was actually one of my favourite USA crime shows, despite it clearly being very scripted and the general overacting of Chris Anderson, who was also a detective on The First 48. I was sad it got cancelled.

Oh and definitely Accused: Guilty or Innocent? There's seven seasons on that. And it's spin off Accused: Did I Do It? There's a season of that.

All available on catch up.

 

[KerGlr5]

How vile?! It was all so senseless, and clearly thought he was going to walk away from it

The comments towards the female detective were shocking. I wasn’t expecting such an arrogant attitude.

 

[Be More Pacific]

Is there any real crime books people would recommend?

They're old but definitely The Jigsaw Man and Picking Up The Pieces by Paul Britton. They cover some very high profile cases he was involved in.

 

[Mrsp2806]

Watched 2 good ones this week. Limbs in the loch.. available bbc iplayer. Based in Scotland. 6 parter and it’s mind blowing. And unknown caller, catfish on Netflix. Words fail me on that one!!

 

[Crumpet41]

Spoiler: More thoughts

I wouldn't say the murder or Nori Jones was similar except for the use of a knife. Very different motive.

I think TA is highly manipulative - in fact, in the Cold Justice episode, one of the prison staff said to the detective that he was 'tricky' or 'slippery' - something similar. At the time of the filming, TA and BD were in the same prison (I don't know if they still are) and that's why I find it sad/weird that they don't talk to each other. I'd like to watch the documentary you saw but I don't have Disney+ but apparently we are getting it as part of our Sky package so I will watch it then. I'll admit that TA really intrigues me and that makes me feel pretty uncomfortable to be honest.

When I say life without parole for juveniles, I mean it shouldn't even be an option. That door should not be slammed shut immediately. I'm talking about a minimum term followed by parole hearings. Obviously, if they are deemed too dangerous to be released, then they may well end up in prison for their whole life - I'm just don't think that should not be the default position. I say this all the time I know but there has to be hope especially with children. There has to be hope of rehabilitation. There has to be hope that something positive can come out of a tragedy. You are condemning a child to a life behind bars forever and that's what does not sit well with me. That's my point really. Believe me, I have wrestled with this for many years - I was once (metaphorically speaking) one of those people banging on the Thompson/Venebles prison vans at their first court appearance. I actually can't believe I ever felt that way about children.

If I am interpreting your comment correctly then I think we are on the same page as Thompson/Venables . A few years ago i read a book that was written by David James Smith ( he was a local journalist at the time and now works for the Sunday times and has since won a few writing awards) . I learned about the book through a course I was on whilst in Uni. It is extremely well written - factual and gave a balanced view overall.

It changed my views of the whole situation - from how i thought about Thompson/Venables ( going from thinking they were the epitome of evil to that they were failed from the start). From parents to school to social workers to the media. They became scapegoats for system failings. I do not think they should have been tried as adults either. This did more harm than good. They should have been protected from the media and public opinion. A 10 year old is not an adult.

What they did was horrendous and i do not condone what happened . I have nothing but empathy for James Bulgar and his family. But at the same time i have empathy for Thompson & Venables who both had a pretty shitty upbringing which played its part in what happened to James.

The book i read > https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sleep-Reason-James-Bulger-Case/dp/0571282709