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The real-life crime genre has an innovative format, or perhaps even a whole new language and structure: police body cam footage. Faces of victims, witnesses and potential offenders appear suddenly to the cameras, at times in the harsh glare of headlights or torches as the police arrive, their expressions and tones expressing wariness or fear or indignation or suspiciously contrived innocence. And we frequently catch sight of the faces of the officers themselves, one waiting impassively while the other conducts the inquiry with what occasionally seems like extraordinary diffidence – though perhaps this is because they are aware they are being recorded.

A Growing Trend in Non-Fiction Cinema

We have already had the Netflix real-life crime film American Murder: Gabby Petito, about the killing of an social media personality by her partner, whose primary focus was body cam footage and in which, as in this film, the police seemed extraordinarily lax with the perpetrator. There is also Bill Morrison’s Oscar-nominated short Incident, composed entirely of body cam film. Now comes a new film by Geeta Gandbhir about the tragic incident of Ajike Owens in Ocala, Florida, a woman of colour whose children allegedly harassed and antagonized her white neighbour, Susan Lorincz. In 2023, after an increasing number of neighbour-dispute incidents in which the authorities were repeatedly called, Lorincz fatally shot Owens through her locked door, when Owens went to the neighbor's residence to confront her about throwing objects at her children.

The Investigation and Legal Context

The investigating authorities found evidence that Lorincz had done internet searches into Florida’s “stand your ground” laws, which allow householders and others to use firearms if there is a reasonable belief of danger. The movie constructs its narrative with the officer recordings captured during the repeated police visits to the scene before the shooting, and then at the disturbing and disordered crime scene itself – prefaced by 911 audio material of the caller calling the police in a melodramatically shaky voice. There is also police cell footage of Lorincz which has a chilly, queasy fascination.

Portrayal of the Accused

The documentary does not really imply anything too complicated about the neighbor, or any mitigating factors. She is obviously disturbed, although the kids are heard calling her a derogatory term, an ugly jibe. The production is showcased as an illustration of how “stand your ground” laws generate senseless and tragic violence. But the reality of gun ownership and the second amendment (that longstanding U.S. legal right that a deceased pundit notoriously said made firearm fatalities a price worth paying) is not much highlighted.

Officer Questioning and Gun Culture

It is possible to watch the officer questioning segments here and feel astonished at how little interest the police took in this aspect. At what time did she purchase the firearm? Where (if anywhere) did she train in its use? Was this the first time she discharged the weapon? Where did she store it in the house? Could it have been easily accessible and prepared? The authorities aren’t shown asking any of these surely relevant questions (though they may have done in recordings that were not included). Or is possessing a firearm so commonplace it would be like asking about kitchen appliances or bread heaters?

Detention and Consequences

For what appeared to her local residents a extended period, Lorincz was not even taken into custody and indicted, only detained and even provided accommodation away from home for the night (another parallel, incidentally, with the a prior incident). And when she was finally formally arrested in the holding cell, there is an remarkable scene in which Lorincz simply refuses to stand, will not extend her arms for the handcuffs, not hostilely, but with the courteously pathetic demeanor of someone whose mental health means that she is unable to comply. Did the gentle handling up until that point led her to think that this could be effective?

Final Outcome and Judgment

It didn’t; and the panel's decision is revealed in the end titles. A deeply sobering picture of American crime and punishment.