Original subtitles

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 *