A Picture History of Kew Gardens, NY (original) (raw)


Click on image to view original photograph, courtesy of the Genovese Family.

"Today, the specifics of the neighborhood's reaction to the murder are in dispute, and several residents who were alive at the time of the attack maintained yesterday that the screams were not that easy to hear and that in fact, some people did call for help or seek to find out what was going on."

[Quote from: Joe Sexton, "A Request Revives Passions in the Kitty Genovese Case", The New York Times, p. B4 (July 25, 1995).]

Disclaimer

Throughout this page, I will cite to various media accounts of the case. I do so only for the factual statements they contain and not because the authors of those accounts agree with the opinions I express here.

In the Public Domain

My thoughts, comments and opinions about this case along with all images created by or for me are dedicated to the public domain. They may be copied and used without credit or compensation to me. I claim no rights in the trial transcript and briefs included here.

This page was created on January 14 2004 and revised on February 29, 2004.

KITTY GENOVESE
WHAT YOU THINK YOU KNOW ABOUT
THE CASE MIGHT NOT BE TRUE

"For more than half an hour thirty-eight respectable, law-abiding citizens in Queens watched a killer stalk and stab a woman in three separate attacks in Kew Gardens. Twice the sound of their voices and the sudden glow of their bedroom lights interrupted him and frightened him off. Each time he returned, sought her out and stabbed her again. Not one person telephoned the police during the assault; one witness called after the woman was dead."

The story became a cultural landmark, making infamous the phrase, "We didn't want to get involved." However, the undisputed evidence from the killer's trial and other sources shows that the Times account is mostly wrong.

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  1. This much is certain
  2. There were two attacks not three
  3. The police were called after the first attack
  4. There were not 38 eye witnesses
  5. Only two eye witnesses are known to have seen Kitty attacked
  6. The witnesses saw Kitty leave and not come back
  7. The witnesses did not watch for half an hour
  8. Only one witness is known to have heard Kitty say she had been stabbed
  9. Kitty did not scream for half an hour
  10. Kitty might not have been saved by a phone call
  11. The problem was not apathy
  12. "We didn't want to get involved"
  13. Doubts
  14. Kitty Genovese Message Board
  15. Post Your Comments

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