Outcry

"Outcry" (2020 release; 5 episodes of 60 min. each) is a TV documentary series about erstwhile Texas high school football star Greg Kelley. As Episode 1 opens, it is "2013-07-23" and we see a social worker interview a young boy, maybe 4 or 5 years old, who gives the outcry statement. The boy talks about what Greg (allegedly) has done to him (sexual abuse although of course those are not the words used by the young boy). We then step back and are introduced to Greg, a talented HS football player at Leander HS (in affluent and suburban Austin, TX) who seems to have everything going for him: a beautiful girlfriend, parents who love him, etc. When the explosive allegations are made against Greg by not one, but two young boys, the Williamson Country District Attorney's office springs into action. We are reminded that the DA's office in the late 1980s prosecuted a man for the murder of his wife, putting him in jail, when in fact the husband was innocent all along (and finally freed 25 years later). At this point we are less than 15 min. into Episode 1.

Couple of comments: let me state upfront that I had zero knowledge of these events prior to watching the opening episode of this TV documentary. The allegations are so explosive that they need to be carefully considered, that much is clear. At the same time, the accused is maintaining his innocence high and low, as are the people (including family and friends, and later a larger community) around him. What to make of this? To be honest, I haven't the faintest idea (my gut tells me that based on what I saw in Episode 1, the guy is innocent, but I could be completely wrong on this). I can't wait to see hot all of this is going to play out in the next 4 episodes (of about an hour each). All I know is this: this is riveting and must-see TV, period.

"Outcry" premiered this weekend on Showtime, and new episodes air on Sunday evenings at 10 pm Eastern time (now available on SHO on Demand and other streaming services). If you like true crime documentaries, by all means I encourage you to check this out and draw your own conclusion.

UPDATE 7/7/20 I've just bing-watched the other 4 episodes. There are no words. This is an emotional rollercoaster all the way. The details that are revealed in the next 4 episodes are nothing short of jaw-dropping. Kudos to the documentary team that literally spent YEARS making this documentary, and that is all what I will say. JUST WATCH.

When it comes to wrongful convictions, all it takes is the breakdown of just one step in the criminal justice system. A detective looking to close a case can coerce a false confession. A prosecutor can bring charges that the evidence doesn't support. A jury can send a person to prison for twenty-five years without blinking an eye just because they would rather go home than debate the facts. The story told in Outcry touches on all of these themes and more.

It all starts with an accusation. A four-year-old boy accuses a teenager, Greg Kelley, of sexual assault. Greg is a high school football star with a full college scholarship awaiting his graduation. What follows is one misstep after another as Greg is soon arrested and put through the spin cycle of our broken criminal justice system.

The detective assigned the case doesn't interview a single person in the household where the alleged assault occurred. He doesn't even go to the house to verify the boy's statement. The house where Greg was staying also ran an in-home daycare. The daycare owner recommended a lawyer to Greg's mother, who then hired her to represent Greg. The lawyer, Patricia Cummings, does a less than competent job in defending her client. Since the documentary has aired, Patricia Cummings has gone on the defense and is threatening to sue the filmmakers. My take, based on the facts presented, especially the way she turned on her client when her reputation was on the line, point to ineffective counsel. One of Patricia's defenders is Michael Morton. Michael Morton spent twenty-plus years in prison for a crime he did not commit. I have a lot of respect for Michael Morton. His book Getting Life is one of the best books ever written about a wrongful conviction. I'm sure he has a good reason to come to her defense. But if Patricia Cummings had done half the job as Greg's second attorney, Keith Hampton, there would not have been a wrongful conviction.

The missteps by the lawyers, detectives, and prosecutors are not the only glaring failures. The series also touches on issues concerning sentencing disparities, the appeals process, and the inadequacies of our jury system.

I won't give away the ending. But one of the saddest aspects of this story is that none of the people responsible were held accountable. No one lost their job. Instead, there were promotions and praise. The lead prosecutor, however, committed suicide. It's not known what role this case had in that sad outcome.

Outcry is an emotional rollercoaster that will stay with you long after the last of this five-episode docuseries.

Absolutely gripping story here, binged the whole show, couldn't wait to see the outcome.. 5*

America has been telling you that the American Justice System is the best in the world. This myth is hard to kill.

Many scholars and many people outside the US are of course highly skeptical about this claim and have been for many years.

The American justice system is rotten to the core, filled with corruption and this documentary exposes the corrupt police and Texas Rangers and exposes a judiciary system that doesn't care about the individual American citizen. This documentary is both frightening to watch and tragic to live with. But it's a must see tv-moment for sure.

This will definitely grab your attention and keep you engaged