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| Murder on a Sunday Morning | 
| Director: Jean-xavier De Lestrade
Studio: Docurama
Category: DVD
List Price: $24.95
Buy New: $12.95
You Save: $12.00 (48%)
New (36) from $12.95
Avg. Customer Rating:  29 reviews
Sales Rank: 16544
Format: Color, Dvd-video, Full Screen, Ntsc
Language: English (Original Language)
Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Running Time: 111 minutes
Number Of Items: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.3
Dimensions (in): 7.5 x 5.3 x 0.6
MPN: 9540
ISBN: 0767054024
UPC: 767685954034
EAN: 9780767054027
ASIN: B00008DDJ4
Theatrical Release Date: 2001
Release Date: April 29, 2003
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com
The Academy Award-winning documentary Murder on a Sunday Afternoon, which originally aired on HBO as part of its America Undercover series, is a troubling look at modern police investigation that unfolds in a story as compelling and suspenseful as any fictional drama. French director Jean-Xavier De Lestrade's intimate camerawork pulls viewers into the jury box to help decide the fate of 15-year-old Brenton Butler, a black resident of Jacksonville, Florida, who becomes the prime suspect in the shooting death of an elderly white woman simply because he was seen in the vicinity of the crime. Butler's attorney, a magnetic public defender named Patrick McGuinness, must pit his legal skills against a mountain of shoddy investigative work and corruption to save his client from life in prison. Similar in intent to HBO's Paradise Lost, Murder's white-knuckled pacing and a wealth of courtroom fireworks should leave true-crime and documentary fans breathless--and angry. --Paul Gaita
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| Customer Reviews: Read 24 more reviews...
Florida again? October 26, 2008
Maybe it's because Florida is so protective of its tourists. Whatever the reason, this documentary shines a light on the reality of injustice in the justice system. Not so much a situation of mismanagement of police procedure, but of the mismanagement of the justice system throughout the country. In a society where we are so afraid of criminals we can accept situations of "the ends justify the means" we must accept the fact that the innocent do get put behind bars. This documentary is a eye opening look at the way we as American citizens decide the integrity of the American justice system. It is important for us to realize that the justice system operates under political ambitions and that only us, the jury, can ensure the courts keep their integrity.
A portrait of American justice at its worst......and best August 13, 2008
This is truly a portrait of American justice at its worst......and best, as shown through the story of a young black kid; wrongly identified by an eyewitness standing less than a foot away from the crime; mistreated, abused and ultimately railroaded by the police; foolishly and ineptly prosecuted by the state; defended by two public defenders who are true American heroes and judged by a jury that thankfully saw through the scam.
It's also the story of a tragedy that visited a wonderful American family.
The icing on the cake for this story is the fact that the jury's decision ultimately proved to be correct, beyond any and all doubt, so there are not even any loose ends to this story; what you see is what you get.
It's one of the most compelling documentaries I have ever seen, not only for it's content, but also because it was perfectly filmed and edited too.
Personally, I was so moved by this drama that I did something I've never done before or since. I picked up my phone and called the Jacksonville Public Defender's and was fortunate enough to speak with Patrick McGuiness to thank him for what he and his colleague, Ann Finnell, did, not only for their client, Brenton Butler and his family, but really for what they did for American justice.
 So-so May 30, 2008
Not a bad doc, but does not live up to the hype. Fairly straight-forward story of dumb, lazy cops railroading an innocent kid with the help of over-zealous DAs. De Lastrade's 'The Staircase' is light years ahead of this lesser effort.
a wonderful documentary May 18, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I downloaded this movie after reading the positive reviews on amazon.com. The movie was such an enriching experience for me. It showed me the decent human spirit that is seldom recognized. The documentary begins with multiple tragedies: the death of a tourist and the indictment of a 15 year old black child that was passing by. However, it ends with a triumph. The defense attorneys were stellar. Their grit inspiring. The defendant's family's faith in a higher power was moving. What can I say about the jury. While they don't appear much in the documentary, their decision spoke volumes. In any event, I felt obligated to write this review given the role that the prior reviewers had played in guiding me towards this movie. I hope you watch this documentary as well and I hope you share a similar moving experience.
Filtered Angels January 9, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Faith affirming, not just in a spiritual sense, but in the doggedness of people such as attorney Patrick McGuinness, those willing to dig, scratch and bait.
McGuinness' artful dance of allowing the "law" of that city to trip itself up is a two-step worth viewing. He's earned his place in a smoky Heaven.
-Laurel825
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