Film

Stirring New Documentary Tackles New Haven Police Corruption and Wrongful Convictions


Three award-winning Yale students announced that 120 YEARS, a documentary about a wrongfully convicted New Haven local, will premiere on Saturday, September 8, 2018 at 6:30 PM EST. The screening will be held at 34, Hillhouse Avenue (Luce Hall) in New Haven, CT.

120 YEARS is the previously unseen story of Scott Lewis, a citizen of New Haven, Connecticut who was sentenced to life in prison for a homicide he never committed. Lewis spent 20 years behind bars before his conviction was finally overturned in 2014.

120 YEARS sheds light on an overlooked chapter of New Haven’s history: decades of unchecked corruption in the New Haven Police Department. Lewis’ story involves “dirty” cops, coerced confessions, suppressed evidence, and unconstitutional imprisonment. The film reveals failures at every step of the New Haven justice system, which eventually led to Scott Lewis’ wrongful imprisonment.

The film also shows that the consequences of a wrongful conviction can never be reversed. 120 YEARS grapples with the hidden, intimate ramifications of wrongful conviction on families. Even after Mr. Lewis was exonerated, he could never recover the 20 years he lost with his children. 120 YEARS offers a glimpse into the lives of the individuals the U.S. criminal justice system leaves behind and the near-impossible fight it takes to reverse their fates.

The film features interviews from:

  • Scott Lewis: Wrongfully convicted of homicide.
  • Stefon Morant: Scott Lewis’ co-defendant who has not been exonerated.
  • Brett Dignam: Columbia Law School professor who represented Mr. Lewis.
  • Judge Charles S. Haight: U.S. District Judge who overturned Mr. Lewis’ decision.
  • Darcy McGraw: Director of the CT Innocence Project.
  • Melanie Carr: Investigator, helped uncover New Haven police corruption.

120 YEARS is the work of Yale students Keera Annamaneni, Matt Nadel, and Lukas Cox. The film was produced through the generous support of The Politic, Yale’s award-winning political and cultural magazine.

The premiere will be followed by a panel with Scott Lewis, Darcy McGraw, Bobby Johnson, and Brett Dignam. Donations received at the screening will benefit the Innocence Project, which works to exonerate the wrongfully convicted. The event is open to the public.

120 YEARS Trailer

The Screening

Screening Date: September 8, 2018

Screening Time: 6:30 PM

Screening Location: Luce Hall — 34 Hillhouse Avenue, New Haven, CT

Admission: Free, Open to the public

For more information, visit:

120yearsfilm.com

RSVP

Contact: Keera Annamaneni

P: 732-640-6222
E: 120yearsfilm@gmail.com

FIN Staff

Film Industry Network News Desk

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