Never Let Him Go

Perhaps the most fascinating part is the examination of how the wealth of the family contributed to keeping this case alive. The consequences for any questioning of the validity of this one case getting more attention that all others was interesting. Particularly the deafness of the family to their privilege and how they destroyed careers of anyone that had a different view of police priorities.

This gave the mini series a needed balance from a focus on "one family fights for justice" narrative that kept the first two episodes going. Some revelations at the end are barely examined (and for the sake of no spoilers will not be discussed here) and there was a missed opportunity there.

This family "can't believe" that they are going without justice while demanding that their case get all the attention of the police. They used manipulation and money to make sure they got time from the police for answering their every complaint as well as investigating. Wonder what families got their justice bumped because they couldn't pull as many strings. If they wanted those results and have money they should have paid a PI not an investigative journalist. This was about making Australia look bad not justice and I'm American and could care less about Australias police force.

Very addictive, I watched all four episodes in one sitting. An amazing pursuit of the truth by Steve Johnson of his brother Scott Johnson's death. As others have mentioned, Steve Johnson had the money and resources to pursue leads that others don't. I also understand that there was probably resentment in Australia of an American going there and trying to get media attention for his brother's case over unsolved Australian cases.

Initially it was botched by an inexperienced investigator and the case was closed, like most of the other gay murders in Manly. That suicide location appears to have been a murder location and it looks like nationalist groups just ran wild in that area.

I was struck by how naïve DCI Pamela Young was of the sensitivity of media interviews and attacking politicians. She spent time bashing the Johnson family instead taking leads and giving the family updates. DCI Yeomans was a professional, thankfully he was assigned the case and selected stellar detectives.

Not a full life sentence for the perp, but some justice for the victim.

The title Never Let Him Go may allude to either Steve's tenacity at seeking justice for Scott or his inability to resolve his unbridled grief and letting Scott go. The documentary itself was balanced and unbiased with accounts from all key players: from the family members to the attending officer back in 1988 to the lead investigator at unsolved murders. For a saga spanning nearly four decades, I thought the four hours runtime was appropriate.

The most interesting part to me was in episode 3 where we saw the clash between Pamela and Steve. I had a lot of empathy for Pamela and could appreciate her transference when she perceived Steve as an entitled rich white man who undermined her authority and professionalism. This was a woman who had to claw her way to the top in a white male-dominated environment. Steve on the other hand displayed no empathy towards Pamela, gloating later about how Pamela shot herself in the foot when it was he who loaded the gun by leaking her email to him to the media. Her tone remained composed while his own earlier reprimand of her can be described as spiteful.

After the killer was apprehended, found guilty and sentenced, a result that not even the family believed was possible, Steve conceded that he would never get closure and that he would keep returning to the site of Scott's death to mourn what could have been. While it is true that everyone processes grief in their own time, I wonder how much counselling if any Steve has accessed. Almost 35 years since Scott's death, he seems no closer to accepting the loss of his brother, in spite of all the effort spent in the pursuit of justice. Money may have bought him his brother's killer but it is not bringing him any peace.

Do NOT miss "Never Let Him Go." It is a brilliantly made documentary of profound emotional power. As a gay man who somehow survived the 1980s, I look upon the murder of this young gay man as the fate I narrowly escaped. The film yanks the veil of secrecy off the Sydney police, with their code of indifference and silent contempt towards gay men. The perseverance of the victim's brother, Steve Johnson, is astonishing, pushing to find answers for 33 years. Yes, joining Steve on his long painful journey is a slog, but stick with it. The resolution is well worth the time it takes to reach. Even today, as gay men, we remain vulnerable, easily crushed by a toxic brew of self-righteousness, ignorance and hate. We survive only when courageous straight people have our backs. I ask you to be inspired by Steve Johnson. If you have a gay friend or relative, I ask that you stick with him when he needs you most. I ask that you never let him go.