Donate & keep LugaTv alive
Errol Morriss unique documentary dramatically re-enacts the crime scene and investigation of a police officers murder in Dallas, Texas. Briefly, a drifter (Randall Adams) ran out of gas and was picked up by a 16-year-old runaway (David Harris). Later that night, they drank some beer, smoked some marijuana, and went to the movies. Then, their stories diverged. Adams claimed that he left for his motel, where he was staying with his brother, and went to sleep. Harris, however, said that they were stopped by police late that night, and Adams suddenly shot the officer approaching their car. The film shows the audience the evidence gathered by the police, who were under extreme pressure to clear the case. It strongly makes a point that the circumstantial evidence was very flimsy. In fact, it becomes apparent that Harris was a much more likely suspect and was in the middle of a crime spree, eventually ending up on Death Row himself for the later commission of other crimes. Morris implies that the DAs and the judges desire for the death penalty in this case (for which Harris would have been ineligible because of his youth) made Adams a scapegoat on whom to pin this heinous crime.
Largely through interviews with the people involved and through reenactments, documentary filmmaker delves into the case that placed then twenty-seven year old drifter on Death Row, that sentence eventually commuted to life. The 1976 situation was what started out as a routine police stop of a vehicle for a traffic violation on a highway in Dallas County, the driver of that vehicle who shot the officer, Robert Wood, point blank twice resulting in Woods death at the scene. Woods female partner shot at the vehicle as it drove off after the shooting, she who did not see the driver. Through the evidence that he has amassed of the case, Morris posits that the actual person driving the car that night, and thus the shooter, was sixteen year old , who had met Adams for the first time the previous day. Morris lays out the foundation of the powers and probable reasons Adams was convicted, those items which were many which resulted in the perfect storm for that conviction. Morris also provides information on Harris life before and after his encounter with Adams, who now has nothing to lose in arguably the reason why he cooperates with Morris in this movie.
Randall Adams
Self
David Harris
Self
Gus Rose
Self - Homicide Detective in Dallas
Jackie Johnson
Self - Homicide Detective in Dallas
Marshall Touchton
Self - Homicide Detective in Dallas
Dale Holt
Self - Internal Affairs Investigator in Dallas
Sam Kittrell
Self - Police Detective in Vidor
Hootie Nelson
Self - Friend of David Harris in Vidor
Dennis Johnson
Self - Friend of David Harris in Vidor
Floyd Jackson
Self - Friend of David Harris in Vidor
Edith James
Self - Defense Attorney
Dennis White
Self - Defense Attorney
Don Metcalfe
Self - The Judge
Emily Miller
Self - Surprise Eyewitness
R.L. Miller
Self - Surprise Eyewitness
Elba Carr
Self - Employee at Fas-Gas
Michael Randell
Self - Third Surprise Eyewitness
Melvyn Carson Bruder
Self - Appellate Attorney
Related Movies
Donate & keep LugaTv alive