The Witness
Kitty Genovese became synonymous with apathy after news that she was stabbed to death on a New York City street while 38 witnesses did nothing. Forty years later, her brother decides to find the truth. He uncovers a lie that transformed his life, condemned a city and defined an era.
Awards & Recognition
Nominee
2017 News and Documentary Emmy Awards - Best Documentary
On March 13, 1964, Kitty Genovese was repeatedly attacked on a street in Kew Gardens, Queens, New York. Soon after, The New York Times published a front-page story asserting that 38 witnesses watched her being murdered from their apartment windows — and did nothing to help. The death of Genovese, 28, quickly became a symbol of urban apathy. The Witness follows the efforts of her brother Bill Genovese as he looks to uncover the truth buried beneath the story. In the process, he makes startling discoveries about the crime that transformed his life, condemned a city, and defined an era.