Summary
CRIME AFTER CRIME tells the dramatic story of the legal battle to free Debbie Peagler, an incarcerated survivor of domestic violence. Over 26 years in prison could not crush the spirit of this determined African-American woman, despite the wrongs she suffered, first at the hands of a duplicitous boyfriend who beat her and forced her into prostitution, and later by prosecutors who used the threat of the death penalty to corner her into a life behind bars for her connection to the murder of her abuser.
Her story takes an unexpected turn two decades later when two rookie land-use attorneys step forward to take her case. Through their perseverance, they bring to light long-lost witnesses, new testimonies from the men who committed the murder, and proof of perjured evidence. Their investigation ultimately attracts global attention to victims of wrongful incarceration and abuse, and takes on profound urgency when Debbie is diagnosed with cancer.
Filming in and out of prison for over five years, filmmaker Yoav Potash methodically documented this story as it unfolded. With exclusive access to Debbie Peagler and her attorneys, CRIME AFTER CRIME tells an unforgettable story of a relentless quest for justice.
Characters
Sitting before a concrete prison wall, Debbie Peagler, recalls how she was only 15 when she met and fell in love with a charming young man — only to then be horribly abused by him, beaten with a bullwhip and forced into prostitution. Today, she is in prison for his murder. In her decades behind bars, she teaches illiterate inmates to read and write, leads the gospel choir, and earns two college degrees from behind bars. While participating in a battered women’s support group, she discovers that she is not alone; the majority of women in prison today are survivors of domestic violence. Still, she doesn’t dare allow herself to believe that a court or parole board will ever reopen her case and allow her to be free – until she meets Joshua Safran and Nadia Costa.
Joshua Safran
As a nine year-old boy, Joshua saw his mother beaten too many times to count. He felt powerless to stop the abuse, and after one particularly bloody night, young Joshua and his mother narrowly escaped her batterer. Flash-forward two decades: Joshua is now a lawyer and he finds that in working for his client Debbie Peagler he now has a chance to help a victim of domestic violence where he could not help his own mother. Over time, Joshua’s identity as an orthodox Jew also fuels his work on the case, as he connects with prayers that specifically address the injustice of wrongful incarceration.
Nadia Costa
In addition to being a successful lawyer and mom, Nadia is an ultra-marathon runner who rises before dawn to train for hundred-mile races. The stamina that she has developed through this daily practice is a great asset in her work on Debbie’s case, as the battle for Debbie’s freedom itself becomes a legal marathon, stretching on for years and covering the terrain of both civil and criminal law. Nadia’s personal mantra of “constant forward momentum,” becomes the only way that Debbie and her legal team can persevere through the difficult challenges and setbacks they encounter. In addition, Nadia’s background as a former social worker for Children’s Protective Services in Los Angeles helps her research, investigate, and prove Debbie’s claims of abuse.
Links to Reviews
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Kelly, lots of good info. here. It lacks your insight, which is always considerable. I compare your response to this movie to my response to some operas--I just start crying right at the overture and blubber all the way through. If someone asked me to say something smart about that, I wouldn't know where to start!
ReplyDeleteSomehow, I'd like this entry to indicate right up front that all the text is from sources. You put that at the end, but the old fashioned scholar in me would prefer to see it at the beginning. You don't have to change it; just for the future.
Otherwise, nice work!