48 Hours Shred of Evidence
((Wed. (12), 10-11 p.m., CBS-TV))
Correspondent: Richard Schlesinger.
Still going strong as a primetime news series, "48 Hours" followed the story of Cathy Winkler, single woman who was living in Georgia and was raped by a man she thought she could recognize. Report questioned authenticity of visual and aural IDs as it follows the persistent victim's six-plus years' attempt for her day in court.
One major problem isthat she failed to recognize the accused rapist only days after the event though she was able to describe him enough for a police drawing. Her case rests on a DNA finding, but technical botches slow authorities' efforts to make a match.
Docu interviews the accused's relatives, listens to a rape victims' group, eyes the accused (who's in jail on another offense and who was accused of raping one of Winkler's neighbors), and hears what the defense lawyer has to say.
The victim, an anthropology professor, tells her students about the case, sports an "I'm Obsessed Why Aren't You" T-shirt, and has kept the case's pot boiling so she'd see the man on trial.
The accused has nothing to say in his own defense because his lawyer won't let him talk. Winkler apparently suffers from something known as "rape trauma syndrome" in which she can't recognize her attacker because unconsciously she's afraid he'll kill her.
A twist in the DNA evidence turned up something significant, and Winkler will likely see the man she's charged go on trial May 23.
The program's strong, though Winkler's life isn't investigated. She does have a sister, she has moved out of state, and she's delighted her seven-year ordeal is coming to a peak. She's also an actively determined woman, which the report, which has been in the works for a year, captures vividly.
Music, Edd Kalehoff.
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