Search - Til Death Do Us Part on DVD

Exposes an embarrassing slice of so called 'American Justice

Jay Zimmerman | 04/14/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The powerful and compelling footage showcasing these previously battered / abused women, subsequently incarcerated for killing their husbands - raises profound doubts about our Justice System, and society's generalized, sleepily comfortable illusion that Justice is fair in America. The film provides ample evidence that before 1992, the criminal trials of these women were grossly hampered by policies mandating exclusion within the trials of crucial evidence of a history of abuse, and also the practice of forced drugging of the accused who were then not capable of functioning adequately as witnesses on their own behalf. Also offered here are very reasonable suspicions that political concerns from the top down may likely have dictated the discriminatory denials of well earned paroles. Over a dozen forgotten women get to tell, in part, their stories here for what may be the first time.

What cannot be garnered by watching the film is any reliable correlation between an offered emotional testimony and the reality of what actually occurred in that case - and that's what the criminal trials were, in part, supposedly required to have assessed through adequate representation in the defense, and observation and deliberation of an unbiased jury able to regard ALL relevant facts. I would recommend this film to any prospective criminal defense attorney, wanting to get a flavor for what "the system" is really like, as well as anyone who prefers to actively fight for the spirit of justice, and the ethics of law.

The film suffers badly from an underfunded budget, and the audio and lighting are atrocious, but the editing is crisp and efficient and everything is discernible."

An important work exposing a fundamental flaw in our legal s

Paul G. Clowdus | Los Angeles, CA | 04/14/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"In the same vein as "The Thin Blue Line", Vita Lusty has created a ground-breaking first film. Exploring the cases of a cross-section of female California convicts, the film dissects how women who defend themselves or their children against the hand of murderous, psychopathic husbands receive life/death sentences from a criminal justice system that clearly favors men. Gritty, real, heart-rending, this is an example of filmmaking at it's finest--as a true catalyst for change."

Moving Documentary about Women Stuck in a Legal System

James Barrett | Clarksville, TN USA | 04/13/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I'm an acquaintance of the Director and picked this up as soon as it was available. Some of the women's stories will hit you harder than you'd expect them to, but they are all moving. I highly recommend this to anyone who has had abuse in their life or the lives of their loved ones. I also recommend it to any organization who wants to raise awareness of battered women. This does its job of painting the picture of how bleak the situations are for these women with no where to turn, and for informing people of how backwards and frustrating the legal system can be to only a small portion of those who are lost within it."

Compelling

Heather Lynn | Las Vegas, NV | 04/14/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This documentary is a really powerful (and depressing) look at the way women are injudiciously treated in the CA penal system. The system is inequitable to women who commit violent crimes, even if they are predicated by abuse and self-defense. This is a balanced, insightful examination of the CA judicial system's injustices. Would be VERY useful for Sociology classes studying similar systems of subversion/power relations and civil rights issues."