"Murder in Boston" doc / Charles Stuart case (@ mentioned)

[scm1011]

Did anyone watch this 3-part doc about the Charles Stuart fiasco? I was 8 when this happened but have very strong memories of the case because it was locally a huge deal. My mom grew up in a neighboring housing project and followed the story obsessively. 

Obviously Boston has a very fraught history (and present) with racism, but hoo boy was the retired detective, Bill Dunn, a piece of work. Saying the quiet part out loud at every turn. I can't imagine how many lives he ruined in Mission Hill during his tenure.

The Boston Globe's Spotlight team also did a 7 or 8 part expose on the case this month and it held no punches calling out the deliberately obtuse and rampantly racist police handling of the case. Today Boston Mayor Wu is giving a long overdue public apology to Willie Bennett and Alan Swanson (two of the men painted as suspects and whose lives were essentially ruined). 

If you're not familiar with the case: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Carol_Stuart
TLDR (@@): White suburban guy and his 8 months pregnant wife are shot in a black neighborhood of Boston coming home from a birthing class in town. Wife and baby die, husband survives and points a finger at a mystery black man who robbed and shot them. Massive witch hunt for the black boogeyman ensues for 3 months until surprise surprise, the husband did it (and jumped off a bridge when police closed in)

[shauni27]

what can we stream this on?

[scm1011]

shauni27, its on HBO Max

I am watching the live stream of Mayor Wu's public apology and she did a good job. It clearly means a lot to the Bennett and Swanson family members in attendance and I'm glad they're giving them a public forum to say their peace. It is not at all lost on me that it took 34 years for Boston to have a Mayor that wasn't a white Catholic dude for amends to be made.

[basilosaurus]

No, but it's now on my list

[Vespasia]

Oh yeah, I remember this from when I was growing up too. We don't have Max but I'll try to remember this next time we add it.

scm1011, can you add @ to either the title or the TLDR?

[scm1011]

Vespasia, apologies! thanks for the reminder

[icedcoffee]

Oooh. Adding to my list for winter break. So many college weekends on Mission Hill!

[scm1011]

icedcoffee, I didn't know you went to college up here! I went to NU so I spent a lot of time in Mission Hill at house parties.

[icedcoffee]

Dec 20, 2023 15:26:25 GMT -5 scm1011 said:

icedcoffee , I didn't know you went to college up here! I went to NU so I spent a lot of time in Mission Hill at house parties.

Same!  NU!

[lo]

I haven’t watched this yet but know about the case and want to see it. My dad grew up on Mission Hill and I even lived there for a time as a child, but I don’t have any memories of the case while it was happening.