All language subtitles for A Crime to Remember S02E01 38 Witnesses

I REMEMBER THAT NIGHT
LIKE IT WAS YESTERDAY.

THOSE SCREAMS STILL ECHO
THROUGH MY NIGHTMARES.

AND I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE.

A LOT OF US
HEARD THOSE SCREAMS THAT NIGHT,

AND A FEW SAW THE HORROR, TOO.

THERE WERE HUNDREDS OF MURDERS
THAT YEAR IN THE CITY,

BUT ONLY THIS ONE BECAME FAMOUS
ALL THE WORLD OVER.

NOT BECAUSE OF THE VICTIM.

NOT BECAUSE OF THE KILLER.

BUT BECAUSE OF THE WITNESSES.

BECAUSE OF PEOPLE LIKE ME.

YOU KNOW
THE KITTY GENOVESE CASE, RIGHT?

OF COURSE YOU DO.

38 OF HER NEIGHBORS
WATCHED A WOMAN DIE.

SHE RECOGNIZED ONE OF THEM
AND CALLED TO HIM FOR HELP

WHILE SHE
WAS BEING STABBED TO DEATH.

BUT HE NEVER ANSWERED HER.

40 PERSONS HEARD HER SCREAM,
BUT NO ONE ACTED.

PEOPLE UP THERE WERE SITTING
RIGHT ON TOP OF THE CRIME.

WHEN IT WAS OVER,
THEY ALL WENT BACK TO BED.

KITTY WAS THE GIRL
IN NEW YORK CITY

WHO WAS STABBED TO DEATH BY
A MANIAC IN FRONT OF HER HOUSE

WHILE ALL OF HER NEIGHBORS
STOOD AROUND AND DID NOTHING.

KITTY GENOVESE
REVEALED TO THE WORLD

HOW APATHETIC
SOCIETY HAD BECOME.

KITTY GENOVESE SHOWED US

HOW LIVING IN CITIES
TURNED US INTO ANIMALS.

KITTY GENOVESE
WAS A MODERN MARTYR.

THAT'S THE KITTY GENOVESE CASE,
RIGHT?

WRONG.

AT 3:50 A.M. ON MARCH 13th,

THE 102nd PRECINCT
RECEIVED A CALL

FROM A MAN WHO SAYS

THAT A WOMAN HAS BEEN ATTACKED
IN HIS HALLWAY.

TWO MINUTES LATER,

PATROLMAN ARRIVES ON SCENE
AT A TUDOR-STYLE BUILDING.

IS AN AMBULANCE
COMING?

HELP IS ON THE WAY.

SHOULD BE HERE
IN JUST A FEW MINUTES.

DO YOU KNOW THIS WOMAN?
CATHERINE GENOVESE.

BUT SHE GOES BY "KITTY."
STAY WITH US, KITTY.

KITTY'S CLOTHES
ARE CUT AND TORN.

SHE HAS MULTIPLE STAB WOUNDS
IN HER CHEST AND STOMACH,

AND HER THROAT IS SLASHED.

HOW DO YOU KNOW HER?
SHE LIVES ACROSS FROM ME.

THE HALLWAY WAS
ABSOLUTELY DRENCHED IN BLOOD.

HANG IN THERE, KITTY.

IT'S A VERY SMALL,
CONFINED HALLWAY,

AND A STAIRCASE THAT GOES UP
TO TWO MORE APARTMENTS.

THIS WOMAN WAS TRAPPED.

BREATHE, KITTY.

IN 1964, YOU DIDN'T CALL
911. IT DID NOT EXIST.

WHAT YOU DID WAS DIAL
THE POLICE PRECINCT DIRECTLY.

SO IT WAS QUITE SOME
TIME BEFORE THE AMBULANCE ARRIVES.

THEY TOLD US SHE DIED
ON THE WAY TO THE HOSPITAL.

SHE NEVER WOKE UP.

AND NOW OUR LITTLE BLOCK
IN QUEENS

WAS THE SCENE OF A MURDER.

THERE WAS A TRAIL
OF BLOOD ON AUSTIN STREET.

SO, THEY FIGURED OUT
THAT KITTY GENOVESE WAS ATTACKED

FIRST IN FRONT
OF HER OWN APARTMENT BUILDING.

SO, THERE ARE TWO ATTACKS.

THE POLICE
TRIED TO KEEP US AWAY,

BUT IT WAS ALL RIGHT THERE
FOR US TO SEE.

AND AS IT GOT LATER
AND THE SUN CAME UP,

IT WAS ALL THE MORE VIVID
AND HORRIBLE.

THIS WAS DIRECTLY
ACROSS FROM A 10-STORY BUILDING,

THE MOWBRAY APARTMENT HOUSE.

AND SO THERE POSSIBLY
COULD HAVE BEEN A WHOLE AUDIENCE

LOOKING DOWN
AT WHERE SHE WAS ATTACKED.

ALL RIGHT. YOU TAKE THE RIGHT.
TAKE THE LEFT.

CAN I HELP YOU?
EXCUSE ME, MA'AM...

3:20. THAT'S WHEN I HEARD
THE FIRST SCREAM.

THE POLICE
WERE ABLE TO FIND PEOPLE

WHO TOLD THEM
THAT THEY HEARD THESE SCREAMS.

AT FIRST
WE COULDN'T SEE HER.

WE JUST HEARD
HER YELLING.

SAMUEL KOSHKIN AND HIS WIFE

LIVE IN AN APARTMENT BUILDING
CALLED THE WEST VIRGINIA

ON THE SAME SIDE OF THE STREET
AS THE TUDOR BUILDING

IN A CORNER APARTMENT.

SAMUEL KOSHKIN
HEARD THE SCREAMS,

AND HE HEARD THE WOMAN SAY
THAT SHE HAD BEEN STABBED.

YOU HEAR SCREAMS?

UM... I GET UP, PEEK,

AND LOOK THROUGH MY WINDOW
AND SAW A MAN BEATING A GIRL.

ANDRE PICQ, A WOMAN
WHO LIVED IN THE MOWBRAY,

SAW A MAN STANDING OVER A
WOMAN -- STANDING OVER KITTY --

AND CLEARLY SOMETHING BAD
WAS OCCURRING.

SHE DID REACH FOR THE TELEPHONE.

ROBERT MOZER AND HIS WIFE

LIVED ON THE SEVENTH FLOOR
OF THE MOWBRAY APARTMENT HOUSE,

DIRECTLY ACROSS
FROM WHERE KITTY WAS ATTACKED.

STOP IT! STOP IT!

I THOUGHT
MAYBE IT WAS A DOMESTIC SPAT.

HEY! YOU LEAVE
THAT GIRL ALONE!

NOW, YOU YELLED
FROM WHERE?

FROM OUR APARTMENT,
UP THERE.

OKAY. NOW,
YOU DIDN'T HEAR HER SCREAMING

THAT SHE'D BEEN STABBED AT ALL?
NO. NO.

WHAT DID SHE DO
AFTER THAT?

THE MOZERS REMAIN AT THE WINDOW,

AND THEY WATCHED HER WALK BACK
DOWN THE STREET.

SHE'S SLOWLY ZIG-ZAGGING
AND WALKING --

THEY THINK SHE MIGHT BE DRUNK --

AND SHE DISAPPEARS
BEHIND THE TUDOR BUILDING.

YOU KNOW THIS WOMAN'S
BEING HURT.

WHY DIDN'T YOU CALL
THE POLICE?

WELL, I DID.

ANDRE CALLS THE POLICE.

102nd.

Hello? 102nd.

AS THE PHONE IS BEING PICKED UP,
SHE PANICS.

I don't have time for this.

AND, TO HER GREAT SADNESS
AFTERWARD,

PUT THE PHONE BACK DOWN.

SO, WHAT DO YOU DO
AFTER THAT?

I SAW A MAN
RUNNING TO HIS CAR.

SAMUEL KOSHKIN SEES
A MAN RUN BACK TO A CAR,

WHICH HE DESCRIBED
AS A WHITE COMPACT CAR...

...AND HE BACKS OUT OF VIEW.

AND THEN
THE MAN CAME BACK...

...BUT THIS TIME
WEARING A FEDORA.

I'M CALLING THE POLICE.

YOU CALLED THE POLICE?

I TOLD HIM NOT TO.

I THOUGHT FOR SURE AT LEAST 30
PEOPLE HAD CALLED BEFORE THEN.

I'M GONNA GO OUT.

I PUT MY COAT ON,

AND I'M GONNA LOOK FOR THE CAR
TO GET THE LICENSE.

BUT SHE
WOULDN'T ALLOW IT.

I WAS SCARED
FOR HIS LIFE.

I TOLD HIM
TO -- TO STAY OUT OF IT

AND JUST WAIT
FOR THE POLICE.

CAN YOU IDENTIFY THE MAN?

SOME OF THE DESCRIPTIONS,
IT'S A BLACK MAN.

SOME OF THE DESCRIPTIONS,
IT'S A WHITE MAN.

SOME OF THE DESCRIPTIONS,
IT'S TALLER OR SHORTER.

THERE WERE A COUPLE PEOPLE WHO
THOUGHT THAT IT MIGHT BE A WOMAN,

BUT EVERYONE HAD SAID THAT
THE ASSAILANT SEEMED TO BE

A SLENDER PERSON
WEARING DARK PANTS.

THERE WERE A LOT OF US,

BUT WHEN YOU GOT RIGHT DOWN TO
IT, WE HADN'T SEEN THAT MUCH --

AT LEAST
NOT ENOUGH TO GET THE GUY.

BUT EVERYBODY ON THE BLOCK KNEW
THAT THERE WERE TWO PEOPLE

WHO PROBABLY WERE IN A POSITION
TO KNOW MORE.

SIR, HOW YOU DOING TODAY?

JOSEPH FINK, WHO'S THE DOORMAN
AT THE MOWBRAY APARTMENT HOUSE.

AT ANY POINT, DID YOU SEE
OR HEAR A WOMAN SCREAMING?

MR. FINK WAS ON DUTY THAT NIGHT.

HE'S STABBING ME!

I DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING.

HE REFUSED TO GIVE THEM
ANY INFORMATION.

ALL RIGHT, BUDDY. LOOKS LIKE
YOU'RE COMING WITH US.

WELL, THE POLICE WEREN'T GONNA
PUT UP WITH THAT.

SO THEY TOOK MR. FINK DOWN
TO THE STATION HOUSE.

AND THE OTHER PERSON
WE ALL THOUGHT

MIGHT HAVE SEEN SOMETHING MORE
WAS KARL ROSS.

IT WAS HIS STAIRWELL
THAT KITTY WOUND UP IN.

IT WAS KARL ROSS
WHO CALLED THE POLICE.

THE DETECTIVE HAD
VERY STRONG SUSPICIONS

THAT KARL ROSS HAD SEEN
AND HEARD MORE OF THE ATTACK

THAN HE WAS LETTING ON.

IT HAD BEEN JUST HOURS AGO THAT
THOSE SCREAMS HAD WOKEN ME UP,

BUT IT SEEMED LIKE YEARS.

WE ALL WENT OVER IT
AGAIN AND AGAIN,

WHAT WE'D HEARD,
WHAT WE'D SEEN.

IT WAS A NIGHTMARE.

HOW WERE ANY OF US TO KNOW

THAT THE NIGHTMARE
WAS ONLY BEGINNING?

KITTY GENOVESE, OUR
NEIGHBOR, OUR KITTY, WAS DEAD.

MURDERED RIGHT OUTSIDE
OF OUR BUILDING.

LOTS OF US HEARD A SHOUT,
ME INCLUDED,

AND SOME SAW A SCUFFLE,

BUT NONE OF US EVER IMAGINED
WE WERE HEARING A MURDER.

AND, ALSO,
WHO WOULD WANT TO KILL KITTY?

EVERYONE LOVED KITTY.
SHE WAS A DOLL.

* WA-OOH *

MY DREAM JOB
IN LIKE FIVE YEARS

IS TO MAYBE OPEN UP A LITTLE
RESTAURANT, LA GATTINA,

WITH MY DAD.
THAT WOULD BE LOVELY.

YEAH. I DON'T KNOW.

IT'S JUST A LITTLE BIT
OF A DREAM.

I LOVE THIS SONG. COME ON,
MIKEY. I NEED A DANCE PARTNER.

SHE WAS A VERY, VERY
UPBEAT AND VIVACIOUS PERSON.

YEAH.

SHE WAS EXTREMELY WELL-READ.

KNEW A LOT ABOUT HISTORY, KEPT
UP WITH THE NEWS AND POLITICS.

SHE COMES FROM A FAMILY
IN BROOKLYN.

KITTY TRIED
CONNECTICUT FOR A WHILE,

BUT SHE REALLY PREFERRED
LIVING IN THE CITY.

WELL, WHEN I WAS 12 YEARS OLD,
IT WAS A TWO-FAMILY WALKUP,

AND ONE DOOR WAS OUR FAMILY, AND
NEXT DOOR WAS KITTY'S APARTMENT.

THANK YOU, SOPHIE.

HOW'S MIKEY?

GETTING DRESSED, I HOPE.

SHE WAS A VERY GENEROUS
AND NICE PERSON.

I REMEMBER, I WOULD SHOVEL
THE SNOW DURING THE WINTER,

AND SHE WOULD GIVE ME
LIKE FIVE BUCKS.

BACK THEN,
THAT WAS A LOT OF MONEY.

SHE WAS A GOOD FRIEND OF MY MOM.

SO, HOW ARE YOUR PARENTS?
THEY GOOD?

YEAH, THEY'RE GOOD.

HEY, YOU READY FOR LIFTOFF,
PARTNER?

YEAH.
YEAH?

SHE USED TO DRIVE MYSELF
AND MY SISTER TO SCHOOL

ONCE IN A WHILE.

ALL RIGHT.
HAVE A GOOD DAY, YOU TWO.

BYE.

MY MOM REALLY DID LIKE HER.

BUT SHE WAS A TOUGHIE.
MY MOM SAID THAT.

SHE SAYS, "NOBODY GOT AWAY
WITH ANYTHING WITH KITTY."

SHE COULD TAKE CARE OF HERSELF.

YOU SIT WHERE YOU SIT,

AND YOU'RE GONNA TELL ME
THAT YOU DIDN'T SEE A THING?

I SAW NOTHING.

JOSEPH FINK INSISTS
THAT HE DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING

BECAUSE HE WAS DOWN IN
THE BASEMENT ON A COFFEE BREAK.

COME ON, FINK. JUST COME CLEAN.
MAKE IT EASY ON YOURSELF.

YEAH, OKAY.
YES, I-I SAW IT.

WHAT DID YOU SEE?

HELP! HE'S STABBING ME!

WHAT'D HE LOOK LIKE?

HE WAS --
HE WAS SLENDER.

HE DESCRIBES HIM
AS A MAN WHO WAS ABOUT 5'8".

YOU LEAVE
THAT GIRL ALONE!

SAW THE KILLER GET UP AND RUN.

AND HE SEES KITTY GET UP
AND WALK BACK

TOWARDS THE END
OF THE TUDOR BUILDING.

JOE FINK SAYS,
"WELL, EVERYTHING MUST BE FINE."

AND NOW HE GOES DOWNSTAIRS,
AND NOW HE TAKES A NAP.

WHY DIDN'T YOU CALL
THE POLICE?

FOR WHATEVER REASON,

HE JUST DID NOT WANT TO GET
INVOLVED IN THIS CASE AT ALL.

THERE'S GOT TO BE SOMETHING
WE CAN CHARGE HIM WITH.

WHAT?
FOR BEING A SON OF A BITCH?

WE'D HAVE TO BOOK
THE WHOLE CITY.

THERE'S NO LAW IN THE BOOK

SAYING THAT A CITIZEN MUST COME
TO THE AID OF ANOTHER.

AND THEN THEY TALKED
TO KARL ROSS.

NOW, HE WAS A PIECE OF WORK.

WHAT TIME DID YOU HEAR
THE SCREAMS?

WELL...
I'D -- I'D BEEN DRINKING.

SO I-I DON'T RECALL
HEARING ANYTHING.

NO.
NO, I-I-I DON'T.

COME ON, KARL. SHE RAN RIGHT
UNDER YOUR WINDOW SCREAMING.

YOU HEARD HER, DIDN'T YOU?

I DIDN'T KNOW
THAT WAS KITTY OUT THERE.

I SWEAR
I DIDN'T KNOW THAT WAS HER.

HIS STORY KEPT CHANGING.

SO, YOU HEAR THE SCREAMS.

WHAT DID YOU DO THEN?

HELP!

KARL, IT'S KITTY!

KITTY?

KARL ROSS DITHERED.

HE WAS AFRAID.
HE WAS DRUNK.

HE SPENT PRECIOUS MINUTES
WONDERING WHAT TO DO.

THEY ASK HIM, "WELL,
WHY DIDN'T YOU CALL US RIGHT AWAY?"

I-I DON'T KNOW. I...

I DIDN'T WANT TO GET INVOLVED.
I WAS SCARED.

I'LL BET YOU KARL ROSS
REGRETTED SAYING THOSE WORDS

THE MINUTE
THEY WERE OUT OF HIS MOUTH.

AND IF HE DIDN'T,
HE SHOULD HAVE.

LATER THAT DAY, DETECTIVES
CAME BACK TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD

TO TALK TO KITTY'S ROOMMATE,
MARY ANN.

SHE WAS THE ONE WHO HAD TO GO
TO THE MORGUE

TO IDENTIFY KITTY'S BODY,
POOR THING.

THE DETECTIVES THOUGHT THAT,
BEING KITTY'S ROOMMATE AND ALL,

SHE MIGHT KNOW SOMETHING
THAT COULD HELP.

WHERE WERE YOU
LAST NIGHT?

I W-- I WAS OUT BOWLING
WITH SOME FRIENDS.

BUT MARY ANN
KNEW THE LEAST OF ANYONE.

SHE'D SLEPT
RIGHT THROUGH THE WHOLE THING.

THE LAST TIME SHE SAW KITTY,
SHE WAS LEAVING FOR WORK.

HEY, KITTY. HOW ARE YOU?
GOOD. HOW ARE YOU?

KITTY WAS WORKING AT
A PLACE CALLED EV's 11th HOUR,

AND SHE WAS THE MANAGER THERE.

SHE WAS EXTREMELY WELL-LIKED
THERE.

COME ON.
YEP.

SOMEONE HAD
HAD TOO MUCH TO DRINK,

SHE KNEW HOW TO TELL SOMEONE
THAT THEY WERE CUT OFF.

HI.

I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS FOR YOU,
IF THAT'S ALL RIGHT.

OF COURSE.
ANYTHING I CAN DO TO HELP.

WHAT EXACTLY DID MISS GENOVESE
HAVE PLANNED

THE NIGHT OF HER MURDER?

KITTY, YOUR DATE'S HERE.

HEY, JACK.

YOU ALMOST READY?
ONE MORE MINUTE.

ALL RIGHT.
TAKE YOUR TIME.

ON THE NIGHT
OF THURSDAY, MARCH 12th,

KITTY HAD A DATE
WITH A MAN NAMED JACK TIMMINS,

WHO WAS A PATRON AT EV's.

AND THIS WAS A FIRST DATE
FOR THEM.

THANK YOU.
GOOD NIGHT.

TAKE CARE OF HER, NOW.
I WILL.

THE POLICE GO
AND THEY PICK JACK TIMMINS UP

AND THEY TAKE HIM TO THE
PRECINCT HOUSE FOR QUESTIONING.

WHAT EXACTLY DID YOU
AND THE VICTIM DO?

I PICKED KITTY UP
AROUND 6:00.

AND THEY WERE GOING TO HIS
BROTHER'S HOUSE FOR DINNER.

THEY LEAVE ABOUT 12:30.

THEY STOPPED AT A BAR,
HAD A COUPLE DRINKS,

AND THEN JACK TIMMINS
DROPPED KITTY OFF BACK AT EV's

ABOUT 2:00 A.M.

THEN,
I HAD ANOTHER DATE, SO...

POLICE QUESTIONED TIMMINS'
OTHER DATE,

AND SHE VERIFIED THAT
HE HAD BEEN AT HER APARTMENT

TILL ABOUT 4:45 A.M.,
AND THEN HE HAD GONE HOME.

TWO DATES IN ONE NIGHT?

GOT OURSELVES
A REAL ROMEO HERE.

I DON'T THINK
YOU UNDERSTAND.

KITTY DIDN'T LIKE MEN.

OF COURSE,
WE'RE TALKING THE MID-'60s,

AND KITTY AND MARY ANN
WERE CLOSETED.

WHAT IS THAT?

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY.

KITTY LOVED FOLK
MUSIC. SHE LOVED COFFEE HOUSES.

IN 1963, SHE MEETS MARY ANN
ZIELONKO IN GREENWICH VILLAGE.

THEY HIT IT OFF IMMEDIATELY.

ARE YOU SERIOUS?

MY GOSH.

YOU GOT IT SIGNED?!
ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY.

MARY ANN CALLS HERSELF SOMEWHAT
RESERVED, BASHFUL, AN AGNOSTIC,

WHILE KITTY WAS MORE EBULLIENT,
AND VERY CATHOLIC AT THE TIME.

* HE WAS A FRIEND OF MINE *

THEY WERE SOON LOVERS

AND FOUND A PLACE TO LIVE
TOGETHER THERE IN KEW GARDENS.

MY MOTHER KNEW
THAT THEY WERE LESBIANS.

AND MY MOTHER NEVER MENTIONED
TO HER THAT SHE KNEW.

THEY BOTH RESPECTED EACH OTHER.

* HE WAS A FRIEND OF MINE *

AND WHEN THE POLICE FOUND OUT
ABOUT THIS,

THEY HAD A FEW MORE QUESTIONS
FOR MARY ANN.

IT SEEMS ODD TO ME THAT
TWO WOMEN ARE SHARING ONE BED.

WELL, THAT'S ALL WE
COULD AFFORD.

LOOK, I DON'T SEE
WHAT THE PROBLEM IS.

THE PROBLEM IS IS THAT THERE
WAS SOMETHING ELSE GOING ON

THAT YOU'RE
NOT TELLING ME ABOUT.

NOTHING WAS GOING ON.
REALLY?

'CAUSE THE NEIGHBORS ARE
ALL SAYING THAT YOU AND KITTY

WERE A LOT MORE
THAN JUST ROOMMATES.

OBVIOUSLY SOMEONE'S JUST TRYING
TO CAUSE A LITTLE BIT OF TROUBLE.

YOU'RE GONNA FIND YOURSELF IN A LOT
OF TROUBLE IF YOU KEEP LYING TO US.

DID YOU HAVE
A LESBIAN RELATIONSHIP

WITH KITTY GENOVESE?

DID YOU?

THE DETECTIVES INTERROGATED
MARY ANN ZIELONKO FOR SIX HOURS.

IT WAS PERFECTLY LEGAL
AT THIS TIME

FOR POLICE TO HARASS
HOMOSEXUALS.

THIS IS NOT
THE NYPD's FINEST HOUR.

MARY ANN LEFT,
LIKE, A WEEK LATER.

IT WAS A SAD THING.

NEXT.

NEXT.

THERE WERE A LOT OF WITNESSES,

BUT ALL THE POLICE REALLY KNEW

WAS THAT THE KILLER WAS
A SLENDER MAN WEARING A FEDORA

WHO WAS BRAZEN ENOUGH
TO COME BACK FOR KITTY

EVEN AFTER HE WAS SPOTTED ONCE.

IT WAS STRANGE ALL RIGHT,

BUT IT WASN'T ANY WAY
TO CATCH SOMEONE.

WAIT A MINUTE. WAIT A MINUTE.
WAIT A MINUTE.

DOING WHAT GOOD DETECTIVES DO,

THEY FIND OUT WHO WOULD BE
IN THE AREA

BETWEEN 3:00 A.M.
AND 4:00 A.M...

SO, SIR, FOR THE RECORD,
WHAT IS YOUR NAME?

EDWARD FIESLER.

...AND THEY MANAGED TO FIND
A MILKMAN.

DID YOU HAPPEN TO SEE ANYBODY
OUT AT THAT HOUR?

AS HE'S CARRYING
HIS MILK TO THIS DOOR...

...A YOUNG GUY
PASSES RIGHT BY HIM.

WELL,
CAN YOU DESCRIBE HIM?

YEAH, I KNOW
EXACTLY WHAT HE LOOKS LIKE.

ALL RIGHT, EDWARD,
WHAT ELSE CAN YOU TELL US?

THE MILKMAN SAYS HE'S GOT A
FEDORA, HE'S GOT A TRENCH COAT,

HE'S ABOUT 5'8",
MAYBE 140 POUNDS.

AND HE'S
A LIGHT-SKINNED BLACK MAN.

YEAH, THAT'S HIM.

BUT AS GOOD
AS THIS DESCRIPTION WAS,

IT COULD HAVE MATCHED
THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE.

THIS WAS NEW YORK CITY,
AFTER ALL.

THE DETECTIVES
WERE GONNA HAVE TO WAIT

UNTIL THIS GUY
SLIPPED UP SOMEHOW.

LIKE I SAID BEFORE,
YOU PROBABLY THINK YOU KNOW

ALL THERE IS TO KNOW ABOUT
THE KITTY GENOVESE MURDER.

HEARD IT DOZENS OF TIMES,
RIGHT?

BUT I GOT NEWS FOR YOU --
YOU DON'T KNOW THE HALF OF IT.

KITTY GENOVESE
HAD BEEN STABBED TO DEATH

OUTSIDE HER APARTMENT
IN QUEENS,

AND THE MANIAC WHO KILLED HER
HAD GOTTEN AWAY.

IT REALLY WASN'T
THAT SURPRISING.

THE SAD TRUTH WAS
LOTS OF MURDERS WENT UNSOLVED

IN NEW YORK EVERY YEAR.

WHAT WAS SURPRISING
WAS WHAT HAPPENED NEXT.

FIVE DAYS LATER.

WORKING-CLASS COMMUNITY --
JACKSON HEIGHTS, QUEENS.

THIS ONE GUY SEES

WHAT APPEARS TO BE
A BURGLARY IN BROAD DAYLIGHT.

HEY, THERE....

WHAT ARE YOU DOING
IN THE BANNISTERS' HOUSE?

HEY. IT'S OKAY.
I'M... JUST HELPING THEM MOVE.

THIS DIDN'T SOUND RIGHT TO HIM.

SO HE CONSULTED
ANOTHER NEIGHBOR,

AND HE SAID, "DO YOU KNOW
ANYTHING ABOUT THEM MOVING?"

AND HE SAID, "NO, I'M SURE
THEY'RE NOT MOVING."

THEY WERE A LITTLE CONFUSED.

IF THIS MAN WAS A BURGLAR,

WHY DIDN'T HE TAKE OFF
AS SOON AS HE WAS CONFRONTED?

THEY GET THE BRAINY IDEA

TO PLAY AROUND INSIDE HIS CAR
AND CALL THE POLICE.

NOW THE GUY COMES OUT
OF THE HOUSE.

CAR DOESN'T GO.

HE DIDN'T PANIC.

HE SIMPLY GOT OUT OF THE CAR
AND STARTED WALKING.

TWO POLICE OFFICERS COME,
AND THEY ARREST HIM.

HIS NAME IS WINSTON MOSELEY.
HE'S 29 YEARS OLD.

THEY TAKE MR. MOSELEY TO SEE
DETECTIVE JOHN TARTAGLIA.

YOU DON'T MIND IF I SMOKE,
DO YOU?

NO.

HE WAS A SECOND-GRADE
DETECTIVE, WORLD WAR II VET.

A VERY, VERY BRIGHT GUY.

SO, LET ME
GET THIS STRAIGHT --

YOU WERE BURGLARIZING
THAT HOME IN EAST ELMHURST.

YEAH, I GUESS SO.

WHERE YOU FROM?

I'M FROM
SOUTH OZONE PARK.

YOU MARRIED?
YEAH, I AM.

SO, WHERE DO YOU WORK?
WHAT DO YOU DO FOR A LIVING?

RAYGRAM CORPORATION.

DETECTIVE TARTAGLIA'S
REALLY PERPLEXED BY THIS MAN.

HE'S MARRIED, HE HAS A FAMILY,
HE OWNS A HOUSE, HAS A GOOD JOB.

HE HAD
NO PRIOR ARREST RECORD.

IN OTHER WORDS, THIS MAN

IS ABOUT THE LAST PERSON IN THE
WORLD WHO SHOULD BE A BURGLAR.

HAVE YOU COMMITTED
ANY OTHER BURGLARIES?

YES, I HAVE.

YEAH?
HOW MANY?

30 TO 40.

THERE WAS SOMETHING
VERY EERIE ABOUT HIS DEMEANOR.

SO THIS IMMEDIATELY GETS
THE DETECTIVE THINKING,

"I WONDER WHAT ELSE
HE COULD HAVE DONE."

WINSTON,
WHY DON'T YOU COME WITH ME?

SO HE KEEPS HIM TALKING...

IT'S GONNA BE
A LONG NIGHT.

...AND THEY EVENTUALLY START
TALKING ABOUT ASSAULTS.

JANUARY 31st.

YOU PUT A SCREWDRIVER UP
TO A WOMAN'S NECK,

YOU FORCE HER
INTO A VACANT LOT,

AND YOU MADE HER SUCK YOU.

DIDN'T YOU?

THEN ON FEBRUARY 15th,

YOU SNUCK INTO A WOMAN'S BEDROOM
AND YOU TRIED TO RAPE HER.

I DIDN'T DO
ANY OF THAT STUFF.

SURE ABOUT THAT?

'CAUSE I'LL BRING THOSE WOMEN
DOWN HERE,

AND THEY'RE GONNA IDENTIFY YOU
FASTER THAN YOU CAN BLINK.

YES, I DID THAT.

MOSELEY WAS JUST ON A ROLL,
CONFESSING.

WHAT THEY WERE WEARING,
WHAT THEY LOOKED LIKE, WHAT HE DID.

HE'S FESSING UP TO EVERYTHING
IN A VERY CRUEL DEMEANOR.

THAT'S EVERYTHING NOW.

IT REALLY IS.

TARTAGLIA REMEMBERS
THAT MOSELEY WAS CAPTURED

DRIVING A WHITE COMPACT CAR,
A CHEVY CORVAIR.

AND HE THINKS OF THE MURDER
OF KITTY GENOVESE.

AND THE STORY GOES

THAT DETECTIVE TARTAGLIA
PLAYED A HUNCH.

IT'S THE STRANGEST
THING.

HE CALLED THE DETECTIVES
FROM KEW GARDENS,

THE ONES WORKING
ON KITTY'S CASE.

TAKE A LOOK AT THIS.

I HAVE THIS GUY DOWNSTAIRS
RIGHT NOW.

YOU'RE JOKING.
LET'S GO.

WINSTON,
THIS IS DETECTIVE SANG

AND DETECTIVE CARROLL
WITH HOMICIDE.

WHAT ARE THOSE CUTS ON YOUR HAND?
WHERE'D YOU GET THEM?

THIS?

I-I-I SCRATCHED THEM
WORKING AROUND THE HOUSE.

I SCRATCHED THEM
WORKING AROUND THE HOUSE.

NO, THAT'S NOT
WHAT HAPPENED.

YOU GOT THOSE
FROM KITTY GENOVESE

WHEN YOU WERE STABBING HER
IN THE THROAT.

DID YOU KILL
KITTY GENOVESE?

DID YOU KILL
KITTY GENOVESE?

OKAY.

I KILLED HER.

ALMOST WITH A SHRUG, AS THOUGH
HE WERE ADMITTING TO JAYWALKING,

HE SAID, "YEAH, I KILLED HER."

TELL US WHAT HAPPENED.
START FROM THE BEGINNING.

I CAME HOME
AROUND 9:00 P.M.

FED MY DOG.

MY WIFE WORKS THE NIGHT SHIFT,
SO I-I KISSED HER GOODBYE.

AND THEN I GOT THE IDEA
TO GO FIND A GIRL TO KILL.

SO I GOT IN MY CAR,
AND I WENT LOOKING FOR ONE.

HE WAS OUT HUNTING FOR HOURS.

HE WAS LOOKING FOR SOMEONE TO
MURDER AND RAPE, IN THAT ORDER.

HE WAS CLOSE TO GIVING IT UP
FOR THAT NIGHT

WHEN HE FOUND KITTY GENOVESE.

SHE SEES HIM.

AND, AS HE DESCRIBED IT,
SHE WAS FRIGHTENED RIGHT AWAY.

HE ATTACKS HER AND STABS
HER MULTIPLE TIMES IN THE BACK,

DEEPLY ENOUGH
TO PUNCTURE ONE OF HER LUNGS.

JOSEPH FINK
SEES THE FIRST ATTACK.

ROBERT MOZER
LIFTS HIS WINDOW AND YELLS...

HEY! YOU LEAVE
THAT GIRL ALONE!

SO, HE RUNS BACK TO HIS CAR,

HE BACKS IT DOWN THE STREET,
AND HE WAITS.

THEN...

...I SAW THE GIRL GET UP.

SO I WAITED FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES
FOR THE LIGHTS TO TURN ON.

YOU DIDN'T WONDER IF ANYONE
WAS GONNA CALL THE COPS?

I KNEW THEY WOULDN'T.

PEOPLE DON'T DO THAT STUFF
LATE AT NIGHT.

THEY -- THEY JUST GO BACK
TO SLEEP.

SHE'S NOT FATALLY INJURED,
BUT SHE DOES HAVE A PUNCTURED LUNG.

SHE CAN'T MAKE AS MUCH NOISE
AS SHE WAS ABLE TO BEFORE.

SHE'S STAGGERING
AROUND THE CORNER...

...WHERE SHE
IS NO LONGER VISIBLE

TO ALL THE PEOPLE
LOOKING OUT THEIR WINDOWS.

AT THAT POINT, HE TAKES OFF
THE STOCKING CAP HE WAS WEARING

AND PUTS ON A FEDORA.

HE WANTED TO FINISH THE JOB.

KITTY GETS
TO 8262 AUSTIN STREET.

PLEASE, KARL!

KARL, IT'S KITTY!
I'VE BEEN STABBED!

AND SHE KNOWS KARL ROSS
LIVES UP THE TOP OF THE STAIRS,

AND SHE'S CALLING TO HIM.

GOD! HELP!

AND THEN
THE MONSTER APPEARS AGAIN.

NO! NO! KARL!

AND HE POUNCES DOWN ON HER,
AND HE STABS HER FIRST IN THE THROAT

TO STOP HER FROM SCREAMING.

THEN HE STABS HER
SEVERAL MORE TIMES.

AND HE PROCEEDS TO RAPE KITTY.

AND NO ONE SAW YOU
IN THE VESTIBULE WITH HER?

THAT LITTLE MAN WHO LIVED UP
ON TO OF THE STAIRS DID.

I HEARD THE DOOR OPEN.

I LOOKED UP AT HIM.

HE SHUT THE DOOR
REAL QUICK.

I WASN'T WORRIED.
HE WASN'T GONNA DO NOTHING.

SIX DAYS
AFTER KITTY WAS MURDERED,

THE NYPD HAD FOUND HER KILLER
AND GOTTEN A FULL CONFESSION.

PRETTY FAST, RIGHT?

AT THIS POINT,
THE STORY HADN'T GONE MUCH

BEYOND OUR NEIGHBORHOOD
IN QUEENS.

AND LIKE I SAID, THIS WAS ONE
OF HUNDREDS OF MURDERS

IN NEW YORK CITY THAT YEAR.

SO, WHY WAS IT
THAT EIGHT MORE DAYS PASSED

AND THEN KITTY GENOVESE'S NAME

IS ON THE LIPS
OF THE ENTIRE CITY?

WELL, THAT'S THE PART OF THE
STORY THAT YOU HAVEN'T HEARD.

CHIEF.
ROSENTHAL.

HOW ARE YOU?
DOING WELL. YOURSELF?

GOOD, GOOD.

AND IT ALL BEGAN

WITH A QUIET MEETING
BETWEEN TWO VERY POWERFUL MEN.

KITTY GENOVESE WAS MURDERED,

AND HER KILLER WAS CAUGHT
SIX DAYS LATER.

AND NEW YORK CITY
HARDLY NOTICED.

BUT TWO WEEKS AFTER THAT,

SHE WAS THE MOST FAMOUS MURDER
VICTIM IN AMERICAN HISTORY.

10 DAYS AFTER THE MURDER,

THE METROPOLITAN EDITOR
OF THE NEW YORK TIMES,

ABE ROSENTHAL, GOES TO LUNCH

WITH THE POLICE COMMISSIONER
OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK,

MICHAEL MURPHY.

ROSENTHAL BEGINS TO ASK

ABOUT ANOTHER MURDER CASE
THAT HE WAS INTERESTED IN...

I WAS WONDERING WHAT
YOU COULD TELL ME ABOUT THAT.

...AND
THE POLICE COMMISSIONER

WASN'T READY
TO TALK ABOUT THAT CASE.

TO CHANGE THE SUBJECT,
HE SAID,

"BOY, WE HAD A DOOZY OF A CASE
OUT IN QUEENS."

38 WITNESSES
WATCHED A GIRL GET KILLED...

AND NOBODY
TRIED TO SAVE HER.

ROSENTHAL FELT THE HACKLES
ON THE BACK OF HIS NECK RISE UP.

HE KNEW INSTANTLY

THAT THIS WAS A STORY
THAT HE WANTED TO PLAY UP.

HER NEIGHBORS
WATCHED A WOMAN DIE.

SHE RECOGNIZED ONE OF THEM
AND CALLED TO HIM FOR HELP

WHILE SHE WAS BEING STABBED
TO DEATH.

BUT NO ONE ACTED.

ON FRIDAY, MARCH 27, 1964,

THE NEW YORK TIMES PRINTED
A STORY ON THEIR FRONT PAGE.

AND THE HEADLINE READ,

"37 WHO SAW MURDER
DID NOT CALL THE POLICE."

THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN 38,
BUT EVEN THE NEW YORK TIMES

HAD TO ADMIT THAT KARL ROSS HAD
CALLED THE POLICE... EVENTUALLY.

IT SAID
"FOR MORE THAN HALF AN HOUR,

"38 RESPECTABLE, LAW-ABIDING
CITIZENS WATCHED

"AS A WOMAN WAS STALKED
AND STABBED

ON THE STREET WHERE SHE LIVED."

IMMEDIATELY, IT WAS PICKED UP
BY OTHER NEWSPAPERS,

AND IT WENT AROUND THE WORLD.

LIFE MAGAZINE SENT A REPORTER.

MIKE WALLACE DID A RADIO SPECIAL
CALLED "THE APATHETIC AMERICAN."

THE IMAGE THAT WAS PORTRAYED,

BOTH OF NEW YORK CITY AND
OF KEW GARDENS IN PARTICULAR,

WERE PEOPLE HAD BECOME
SO HARDENED

THAT THEY
WERE NO LONGER AFFECTED

BY ORDINARY HUMAN SUFFERING.

BUT IT WAS WRONG.
IT WASN'T THE WHOLE STORY.

38 RESPECTABLE, LAW-ABIDING
PEOPLE DID NOT WATCH

A WOMAN BE STALKED AND STABBED
FOR 30 MINUTES.

GANSBERG WROTE THAT THERE
WERE THREE ATTACKS UPON KITTY.

THERE WERE TWO ATTACKS.

BUT THE REALLY TROUBLING THING,
FROM AN ACCURACY POINT OF VIEW,

IS THE 38 WITNESSES.

EXACTLY WHAT IS A WITNESS?

IS IT SOMEBODY
WHO ACTUALLY SAW THE ATTACK?

MANY OF THE "EAR WITNESSES,"

THEY GOT UP AND LOOKED
OUT THE WINDOW.

BY THAT TIME,
THERE'S NOTHING TO SEE.

AND THERE IS THE FALSE
SPECIFICITY OF THE NUMBER 38.

NO ONE HAS KNOWN PRECISELY WHERE
IT CAME FROM FOR HALF A CENTURY.

I BELIEVE I FOUND THE DOCUMENT.

IT IS A COLLECTION
OF THE INITIAL INTERVIEWS.

THERE ARE 38 ENTRIES,

AND I BELIEVE
THAT SOME HARRIED CIVIL SERVANT

GAVE THAT NUMBER
TO COMMISSIONER MURPHY,

WHO GAVE IT TO THE TIMES,

AND IT ENTERS AMERICAN HISTORY
FROM THERE.

HELP ME!

THE STORY MADE IT SOUND

AS IF WE ALL STOOD AROUND
WATCHING KITTY GET KILLED,

LIKE IT WAS PRESENTED TO US
ON A STAGE UNDER A SPOTLIGHT

AND WE TURNED OUR BACKS,
BUT THAT'S NOT HOW IT WAS.

IN 1964, YOU'RE NOT CALLING 911.

YOU'RE CALLING AND GETTING
SOME DESK SERGEANT,

AND YOU MAY WELL BE INVITED
TO MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS.

I don't have time for this.

THE 911 EMERGENCY-PHONE SYSTEM

GREW FROM THE OUTCRY
OVER KITTY'S MURDER.

AND THEN THERE WERE PEOPLE
LIKE THE KOSHKINS.

THEY WANTED TO HELP

BUT THOUGHT SURELY SOMEONE ELSE
ALREADY DID.

I'M CALLING THE POLICE.

IN THE YEARS FOLLOWING,
A NUMBER OF SPECIALISTS BEGAN STUDIES

TO DETERMINE WHAT EXACTLY

WOULD CAUSE BYSTANDERS
TO FAIL TO INTERVENE.

AND THE THEORIES THAT DEVELOPED
FROM THOSE STUDIES

CAME TO BE KNOWN
AS THE BYSTANDER EFFECT,

ALSO KNOWN
AS THE GENOVESE SYNDROME.

THE MORE PEOPLE WHO ARE PRESENT
WHEN A PERSON IS IN PERIL,

THE LESS CHANCE THAT PERSON HAS
OF BEING HELPED.

THE IDEA IS THAT
"SOMEONE WILL CALL THE POLICE.

IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE ME."

AND PEOPLE HAVE A TENDENCY
TO THINK

THAT IF NO ONE ELSE IS HELPING,

MAYBE THE PERSON
REALLY DOESN'T NEED HELP.

SO, IT'S MUCH MORE
ABOUT SOCIAL INHIBITION

THAN IT IS ABOUT APATHY.

IT WAS THE DESPICABLE BEHAVIOR
OF TWO MEN

THAT WE ALL GOT BLAMED FOR.

AND EVEN THEN, IF YOU LOOK
AT IT FROM ANOTHER ANGLE,

KARL ROSS' BEHAVIOR
MADE A KIND OF SENSE.

IT'S LIKELY
THAT KARL ROSS WAS GAY.

THAT WOULD DEFINITELY BE
A REASON

NOT TO WANT TO CALL THE POLICE.

THE POLICE HARASSED
THE HOMOSEXUAL COMMUNITY.

SO HE'S AFRAID
TO TALK TO ANYBODY.

AND THE REAL INSULT
TO ALL OF US

WAS THE ONE PERSON
THE PAPER DIDN'T MENTION.

THE PHONE RINGS,
AND IT WAS A NEIGHBOR.

MY MOM STARTED TO RUN PAST ME
SAYING THAT KITTY WAS BLEEDING.

SOPHIE FARRAR,
WHO IS ALL OF 4'11" TALL --

FOR ALL SHE KNOWS,
THERE IS A MURDER IN PROGRESS

AND SHE'S RUNNING
STRAIGHT TO IT.

HER HUSBAND IS STILL TRYING TO
GET HIS PANTS ON AND FOLLOW HER.

SHE DIDN'T HESITATE.

MY GOD.
KITTY, WHAT HAPPENED? KITTY?

IT'S -- IT'S SOPHIE. I'M HERE.

WHEN SOPHIE FARRAR LEANS DOWN
AND PUTS HER ARMS AROUND KITTY,

KITTY, IN HER LAST MOMENTS
OF CONSCIOUSNESS,

IS WAVING HER HANDS,
STILL TRYING TO FIGHT HER OFF.

KARL! KARL!

KARL, ARE YOU UP THERE?

CALL THE POLICE!

SOPHIE?

SHE ORDERED KARL ROSS
TO CALL THE POLICE.

AND THAT WAS
WHAT FINALLY MADE HIM DO SO.

I'M HERE. SOPHIE'S HERE.
SOPHIE'S HERE. IT'S OKAY.

MY MOM WAS CRADLING HER
UNTIL THE AMBULANCE ARRIVED.

KITTY GENOVESE FITS
THE ROLE AS URBAN MARTYR.

THAT SOMEHOW TEACHES SOCIETY
A LESSON ABOUT APATHY --

LET'S NOT BE APATHETIC.

I DON'T BELIEVE

THAT KITTY GENOVESE
HAS TO BE SYMBOLIC OF SOMETHING.

I DON'T THINK SHE DIED TO TEACH
THE REST OF US A LESSON.

APATHY DID NOT KILL
KITTY GENOVESE.

A MONSTER NAMED WINSTON MOSELEY
KILLED KITTY GENOVESE.

* HE WAS A FRIEND OF MINE *

KITTY BECAME FAMOUS FOR BEING

THE WOMAN WHOSE CALLOUS
NEIGHBORS WATCHED HER DIE --

A WOMAN NO ONE CARED ABOUT,
NOT EVEN IN HER DARKEST HOUR.

BUT KITTY WAS MORE THAN THAT.

SHE WAS AS FULL
OF PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE

AS ANY WOMAN.

SHE LOVED AND WAS LOVED,

AND SHE DESERVES BETTER
FROM US NOW.

* ...WAS A FRIEND OF MINE *

* WHEN I HEAR HIS NAME *

* YOU KNOW,
I JUST CAN'T KEEP FROM CRYING *

* HE WAS A FRIEND OF MINE *

* HE WAS A FRIEND OF MINE *