Reckless Indifference

If you can't see the crime for what an injustice it was, you haven't had much life experience, don't have kids are a conservative who can't see past his/her nose. I have been with friends many times when situations occur and the only person you can be accountable for is yourself. All those boys went to the fort for one reason: marijuana. Was it to purchase it or to steal it? whatever the reason, they would never have been there to begin with if McLoren was not selling it! Kids fight, they do. Over girls/boys, talking behind each other's back, etc. No one knows nowadays what will happen with just a regular fistfight. A kids who was sitting in a truck and had no idea what had just transpired was sentenced to NINE YEARS! If you have not seen this movie, watch it. Bottom line is 5 kids got into a physical fight, one ended up dead due to the recklessness of one of those kids. Two other kids were NOT involved in the melee. However, 3 kids who were fighting got life with no parole, even though the actual offender admitted his guilt, 1 kid who watched from the door while the fight occurred also got life in prison with no parole, and 1 kid who had nothing to do with it period got 9 years. All because of an old law that California kept on the books and the prosecutors took advantage of that states a murder that occurs during a robbery is automatic felony murder and all those involved get charged the same. I am not dismissing the fact that a parent lost their child, that child lost his life. But as the son of an LAPD officer, why was this kid with a known drug dealer? Why should 4 kids have their life ruined over the decision of someone else? The injustice being brought down on our youth is appalling! Just to make examples of kids. This movie really makes you look at the justice system. Another good movie similar to Reckless Indifference is Juvies.

Reckless Indifference is a technically crude but matchless documentary about the inequities of the American criminal justice system. Similar in many respects to Joe Berlinger's outstanding Paradise Lost films, it takes a look at the death of James Farris Jr., the son of a retired LAPD officer and the 'bodyguard' of suburban teen drug dealer Mike McLoren. The circumstances behind his death are clouded, but the end result is that four young men are now serving life sentences without the possibility of parole. The film presents a strong case that the LA County Attorney's Office, smarting from failures in the O.J. Simpson and Menendez cases, railroaded at least three of the teenagers who will now spend the rest of their lives behind bars. The old saying about the truth setting one free has yet to prove true for either the West Memphis Three or for Brandon Hein, Tony Miliotti, and Jason Holland. This film, though produced in 2000, now includes a 2004 epilogue with further evidence of extra-legal fixing by the prosecution.

I did not feel sorry for these defendants when I watched this film. I felt very bad for the parents who lost their son. All the hand wringing over the aggressive prosecution ignores the fact that no court has ever sanctioned the prosecutors for misconduct. These young adults clearly got what they had coming to them. The biggest joke is seeing Dershowitz. He acts as if he's the moral conscience of the nation even though he worked hard to get O.J. acquitted. The conviction for felony murder turned on whether it was a robbery. What I would like to know if the defendants had any money when they arrived at the dealer's fort to buy the pot as they allege. If they had no money that certainly shows evidence of a robbery. If it was a robbery, they are all guilty of felony murder and should rot in jail.

A fairly effective presentation of the issues surrounding the death of a young man in an affluent suburb of Los Angeles. Some of the stock filler was a bit repetitive and the "reenactments" of actual events were a bit contrived looking, but this faded in the presentation of the issues themselves. Certainly the hypocrisy of the justice system in California was made quite evident. I found that in the end, there were no real good guys or bad guys here (with the notable exception of a couple of defense lawyers and a private investigator who seemed surprisingly honorable). The movie certainly paints a negative image of the victim's father, but based on the facts presented, it seems well deserved. The saddest aspect of this mess is that in the post O.J., Michael Jackson, and Menendez era of California jurisprudence a number of well-meaning people forgot the difference between vengeance and justice. You might find it worthwhile to follow up this movie with a bit of internet research on this case and it's individuals. By the way, the score was quite excellent.

I found this to be an interesting look into the justice system. The case had some tough issues surrounding it, and I think the conflict between the two polarizing views concerning the defendants really lends itself to some great movie drama. Also, I found it to be quite informative in terms of learning things about the courts and various laws and legalities.

The one thing that really stood out though was the outstanding musical score. Usually we tend to overlook a movie's score, especially a documentary, but I thought the original music for this film really helped to make it that much more intense.

Great project all around.