GUILTY OR INNOCENT: THE LENNEL GEETER STORY

US, 1987, 95 minutes, Colour.
Dorian Harewood, Dabney Coleman, Hoyt Axton, Paul Winfield.
Directed by Richard T. Heffron.

Guilty or Innocent: The Lennel Geeter Story is a strong telemovie focusing on the false arrest of an engineer, Lennel Geeter, without the police clearing the evidence and, seemingly, motivated by racism. Dorian Harewood is Geeter.

Dabney Coleman has a good role as Ed Sigel, the lawyer appointed to defend Geeter, clashing with him, mistrusted by him, eventually standing by him for a full acquittal.

The setting is Dallas, Texas, and its environs in the early '80s. The film is strong with traces of racism influencing the police and the courts.

The film is a variation on the `wrong man' theme - and is played with strength and conviction, suitable for the wide television audience. Direction is by veteran film and telemovie-maker Richard T. Heffron.

1. The impact of the true story, justice, racism, the truth?

2. The impact of the telemovie for the wide audience? Texas settings, the '80s? The workplace, prisons and court? The musical score?

3. The title, questions about Geeter himself? The possibility of his guilt? Audience emotional identification with him and his experiences?

4. The introduction to Lennel Geeter, conscientious at work, not going out with Tony, relating well to the fellow engineers and the bosses, a religious man, his relationship with his fiancee, his background in Southern Carolina, his parents? The suddenness of the arrest, his treatment? The shock and the implications of his guilt?

5. The arresting officers, their racist attitudes, contempt of Geeter, unwilling to listen, blaming him for various robberies? The resentment? The racist taunts, the charges, their brutality, the interviews? His disbelief?

6. Ed Sigal appointed by the courts, the initial meeting, whether Sigal believed him or not? His later saying he was influenced by racist attitudes? The antagonism and mistrust of Geeter? Discussions about bail, witnesses? The advice Geeter was getting in the jail? Sigal's being hurt by Geeter's antagonism? The calling of the witnesses, the calendar and the case being hastened? Geeter's treatment of him in court? The judge taking a stance? The cross-examination of the witnesses and Sigal's skill, the shock of the verdict? The appeal for probation and its being turned down? The life sentence?

7. Lennel and his experience in prison, his religious beliefs, not trusting anyone? The meeting with Tony - and the question of betrayal? The court sequences, the discussions with Sigal, not taking bail? Phone calls to
his fiancee? His parents? Dismissing the initial lawyer? Not trusting Sigal? In prison, and his teaching the prisoners?

8. The witnesses and their variety of backgrounds, the identification of Geeter, the contradictions in detail? The testimony of the engineers and their being discredited? The cross-examination of the authority of the reliability of eyewitnesses? The speeches and appeals to the jury by DA and Sigal? The verdict?

9. The DA and his wanting a conviction, the antagonism towards Geeter? The range of charges? His assistant and the investigations? The later expose of the poor police work, going down to interview the witnesses but their being at the court, inadequate representations? The later testimony of the arresting officers and their inquiries in South Carolina and their negative interpretations?

10. Sigal and his anger at the sentence, the introduction of the NAACP, the official and the discussions with Sigal? The district attorney of Dallas and his power? The decision to go for the press - the interviews, the questions? The defence for Tony and the inadequacy of the witnesses? The acquittal?

11. The press campaign, the interviews, the district attorney and his assistant and their poor image, the police interrogations? The sheriff from South Carolina and the false links to the other cases?

12. The district attorney, the question of the lie detector (and Geeter's fiancee advising him against it)? The possibility of his going free and a lack of justice being done?

13. The visit to the witness, her affirmation that Geeter was not guilty? The testimony of the woman inviting him to a religious session (and the presumption that she was black)? The engineer coming back from overseas and the testimony about the phone?

14. Geeter going free, his attitudes towards justice (especially in the television special and his claiming that he had experienced no justice)? The support of his fiancee, the wedding? The theme of the wrong man, trapped by justice, having to cope, working through the legal mechanisms?