Winner Acadaemy Award Best documentary 2003A brilliant, bold work Boston HeraldGut-wrenching The Washington PostThe climax packs a one-two punch worthy of the most compelling detective story. New-York TimesBroadcast on SBS 3rd Jan reaching 198,000 viewers 35+.On May 7, 2000, a horrific armed robbery and murder took place in Jacksonville, Florida. The victim was Mary Ann Stephens, a white tourist who was shot in the face in front of her husband James by a young black man. The pressure on the local police department to solve the crime was immediate and overwhelming. Several hours later, 15-year-old Brenton Butler, who is African American, was arrested and charged with the murder.The tumult of events that led to Brenton Butlers trial, the trial itself, and its aftermath are captured in Murder On A Sunday Morning, a unique documentary portrait of a contemporary murder trial in America. At the center of Murder On A Sunday Morning is public defender Patrick McGuinness, a chain-smoking 50-year-old defense attorney who routinely represents those accused of homicide. At first it seemed even to McGuinness that the case against Brenton Butler was open and shut. The husband of the murdered woman positively identified Brenton as the shooter, and Brenton signed a full confession while in police custody. Just his initial interview with Brenton convinced McGuinness that he had to do everything in his power to fight the charges in court. In no time the states case unraveled as McGuinness and his associate, Ann Finnel, investigated the forensic evidence, Brentons alibi, and the conduct of the police officers handling the case. Did Brenton write his own confession? Where is the concrete evidence? And most importantly, can the police be lying?An Oscar-winning, astonishing insight into the American legal system from the team that brought you The Staircase.

Synopsis

On May 7, 2000, a horrific armed robbery and murder took place in Jacksonville, Florida. The victim was Mary Ann Stephens, a white tourist who was shot in the face in front of her husband James by a young black man. The pressure on the local police department to solve the crime was immediate and overwhelming. Several hours later, 15-year-old Brenton Butler, who is African American, was arrested and charged with the murder.